This archive now contains over 230 free access articles, and will expand as time and resources allow. To contribute to the upkeep of this website, please contact me directly at ghe101@aol.com.

TRUMP IS NOT MY PRESIDENT!

by George H. Elder11/11/2016

You talk crap, you catch crap–and thus Trump is now harvesting a whirlwind of protest. Conservatives should understand the outrage we Liberals feel and why we are reacting so strongly. Trump the Traitor was appointed by the FBI, WikiLeaks, Assange, and Putin via their interference on his behalf during the election. They played the yellow press like a violin, and few cared about agendas and motives. The masses only heard the words indictments and charges, which ended up be nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Despite the blatant and repeated manipulations, Trump failed to win the popular vote, being 395K behind at present in this “fair and free election.” Many of us regard him as a vile puppet, and some will opt to employ force to defend this country against his policies and mendacity. This is regrettable, but the imposition of a ruler who was brought into power by federal and external agencies is intolerable for any freedom-loving person.

I will fight Trump and his policies with every fiber of my being, though I believe that harming another harms one’s self. I thus choose non-violent means of resistance, like protest marches, occupations, and boycotts. But whatever the means, many of us will NEVER accept Trump as a president. This election marks the death-knell of American freedom and the imposition of the worst type of totalitarian intervention imaginable. This is the kind of tyranny our ancestors fought, and it falls to us to resist.

Conservatives claim to love freedom, but they obviously do not. They love guns and violence, yet have no higher understanding of what freedom truly is. I received four death threats during this election cycle from red-necks in reply to my views, and my response was always the same. Bring it on! Death holds no fear to many of us. We fight in defense of our freedom, come what may. Remember, Liberals founded this nation, and we feel a powerful call to defend our country from domestic and foreign intrusions. Revolution is in the air, and Trump is most assuredly NOT MY PRESIDENT! Yes, we will fight, as did our country’s founders.

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REVOLUTION!!!

Amazing! I thought my outrage was not shared, at least to the same extent. But hundreds of thousands are marching in the streets in protest of Trump’s “appointment.” We won the popular vote, and by a bigger margin than did Gore! We overcame much of the FBI, WikiLeak, Assange, and Putin interference, and we shall not accept a philandering traitor in the White House. I would much prefer death than rule by an entitled bigot, and I will join my kindred. Have to get the wheelchair, and off we go! If we cannot drive the slug out before January 20, we will make inaugural day the most memorable this nation has ever know. Revolution is in the air, and it is about time!

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ENEMIES OF FREEDOM

by Dr. George H. Elder

Still fuming about the election, and always will. WikiLeaks has imposed its agenda on the entire nation, and they are proud that their interference has helped defeat Clinton. They justify their intervention as being righteous due to the DNC’s electoral malfeasance when Sanders ran. So they supposedly combat such malfeasance via using stolen records to expose the truth. Ultimately, they are thieves and cyber criminals who seek to impose their will on others via the controlled and biased release of information. WikiLeaks is EXACTLY like the DNC, except with a distinct political agenda. They hide their connections and true purposes, but their intent is clear enough. Transparency is definitely not their game. Putin uses them and Assange as useful idiots, which is all too true. If I were a violent man, I’d like to see every last one of those sanctimonious pricks hunted down. They are totalitarians who are too arrogant to see that they cause as much harm as good. They helped put a despot in office, and they have done more to kill personal freedom in this country than any other organization except the FBI.

The FBI is deserving of our complete scorn. They timed their leaks to do maximal damage to Clinton, and thus did everything possible to get Trump elected. They are a conservative agency, as most national police forces are. There are strict regulations against them interfering in elections, but Director Comey sure as hell did. I used to support the FBI, but I now regard them as a mortal enemy of the people. Like WikiLeaks, they want to impose their will on all of us, which is anathema to anyone who believes in justice and liberty. We have a vested order of thought police in power, which is no difficult task in a society of people with an average IQ of 90-100. Alas, they have made dozens of Tim McVeigh clones by their recent actions, only most Liberals are far smarter than was he. Let them reap what they have sown, but are blood and bombs OK? No, I think not. It will be hard for me to shed a single tear should this happen, but that simply exposes my shallowness. Every revolution has teeth, though watching the dogs of war chew up lives should not be anyone’s joy. There are better ways to induce change than violence.

Assange is a cowardly thief who is Putin’s lackey. He uses WikiLeaks as his personal tool, and he is keen on revenge. Of low moral character, he is a rapist and serial abuser. Assange is a typical keyboard hero, and has a history of banal expediency. He once excused mass gas attacks in Syria when it suited his ends, and he is responsible for many deaths due to information leaks that fomented revolutions and discord. There is no fate that fits his crimes, and he was surely involved in interfering with the election of 2016. He boasts about it, safely ensconced in his gilded cage. Behind him is Putin, a truly evil man of the worst possible kind. As for Assange, he will be free to fly soon enough, and when he is free there will be a spate of crosshairs focused on this head. Once again, no tears from me. He has harmed many, and will atone as God sees fit.

What did we lose from the interference? We lost one or two Supreme Court appointees. We lost Obama Care for some 11 million people, and we will soon have armed guards at the borders and far worse. Man, we got 80% of Bernie’s agenda in the platform, but that is gone too. We had to give Wikileaks all that and more because they only care about their own revenge-driven agenda. I was a Bernie guy, and we knew the game was biased all along. Still, we got nearly all we wanted, and now it is completely gone. They screwed the Liberal movement for many years to come, all at the alter of their idiotic purity. Yes, WikiLeaks people were useful idiots indeed, and I wish the very worst on those selfish fools. Every bad thing that happens to our country from here on is on them. Feast in victory, you fuckers. Some want to beat you with blunt objects, and you deserve eternal scorn at the very least.

So what to do? The simple answer is to make constant and brutal war on all concerned, extracting blood and lives until the streets run red. But that approach is definitely not for me, despite the urges within. To harm another is to harm one’s self. Moreover, it is better to suffer a wrong than to do a wrong. Yet there is a critical issue of freedom to consider, for without a free electoral process there can be no Democracy. This was WikiLeaks avowed purpose with the DNC leaks, but then they became akin to what they purported to be against! They became thought manipulators of the most intrusive kind while parading around as saints. Man, the desire to do harm to every one of those mother fuckers is intense. But it is also wrong. This is the battle I am fighting right now, for there is no doubt actions are needed. What to do? Oh, what to do? Advocating and inciting violence against anyone would make me like the FBI, and they are incredibly vulgar beasts.

Of course, the puppeteer is Putin, and there is a special place in hell assigned to him. He is the face of nationalism, a well-spoken killer in the best KBG tradition. Nationalism is the real beast, the tool Trump used. Make America great again… fucking morons. We are at our greatest when we’re not killing folks or playing host to mind police like WikiLeaks and the FBI. So yeah, causing Trump, WikiLeaks, the FBI, and Assange as much non-lethal pain as humanly possible is all for the good, but the real culprit is an ideology that uses these fools as means to an end. They’re mindless tools, irresponsible and unreflective in their zeal. So how does one combat an idea like nationalism? It took Vietnam to pound that notion out of us, and no one wants to see that happen again. Much to ponder, but doing nothing is not an option. Our freedom has been usurped.

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FUCK FACEBOOK!

by G. H. Elder 11/3/2016

The ban on my Facebook postings continues, and below is my response. If anyone reading this is a friend, please post this wear my other friends can find in on Facebook. I am not ill or indisposed. I have been censored by Facebook, as my below reply will indicate. It almost seems like some kind of political coup is underway. Hope I’m wrong, but the FBI is interfering in the political process big time. Strange days, and they could lead to a very ugly place. My reply to Facebook:

“You people at Facebook are supposedly censoring me for posting a photo, although I found it on a Facebook site! How lame is that? Truth is, you don’t want strong voices, and especially if they are aimed at the FBI, WikiLeaks, and Trump. Play that game, but it will never be forgotten or forgiven. You censor one, you censor all. That is the truth of things, and you people damn well know it. I hope my friends publish this note because what I say to you I also say to them. Censorship is the tool of tyrants, and liberty demands that we face those who suppress our freedoms. So for the sake of my kith and kin, I say–FUCK YOU!!!”

I have written about the issue on:

http://www.ghe101library.com/

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REVOLUTION!!!

by Dr. George H. Elder November 1, 2016

Freedom died today in the US, though its demise was well-planned for some time. The FBI, WikiLeaks, Assange, Putin, and others have released a withering barrage of negative information on Clinton. It is hurting her in the polls, though nearly all of her supporters remain firm. God knows I don’t love the woman, but no one deserves this tainted spate of bullshit. It is the undecided voters who will make the final choice. All the Trump supporters are cheering to the high heavens. They think this info dump just before the election is great, like manna from above. They fail to discern that a federal agency has violated its mandate to stay out of electoral issues. In effect, there can be no freedom when elections are controlled by governmental and external forces. And the way this was done has earned scorn with nearly the entire world, except those who are loyal to the monster of our times.

So we know malfeasance doesn’t matter to Trump supporters or the cabal of FBI and political people who are pulling the electoral strings. And it’s not just the fucking endless e-mail bullshit they spewed, but other issues that need never have been released before an election. Half the population now hates the FBI with a passion for its blatant interference, and I used to rather like them. My fiend Bill Hickey was an agent, and an exceptional one by any measure. I cannot imagine him approving anything like this. The bureau meant everything to him, and he would have never risked damaging it’s reputation. He was a REAL gun-toting Conservative, albeit much brighter than most Trump supporters.

While our Trump friends are cheering all this, we Liberals are seething. They muse and gloat about our distress, but don’t grasp that there are passions you don’t want to arouse. I never owned a gun. I think they’re dangerous and pointless, though many disagree. Now, I want to get a gun, and my thoughts run very dark. There are 146,000,000 eligible voters in the US, and 43% are Democrats-like me. That’s about 63,000,000 folks. If just 1% of them are beyond pissed off and ready to act, that equates to 630,000. Say just 1% of those folks are willing to employ deadly force. I think that comes out to 6,300. Are you beginning to see the problem? While some gloat, others plan. Folks like me feel their country has been attacked and their freedoms imperiled. We Americans have always been willing to die for the values that make us a democracy. But let us say that just 1% of those who are willing and able to kill actually proceed to the action stage. Now we have 63 angry, armed, and eager folks. Let us assume a mere 2% of the actionable killers act each month, which takes us down to a single assassin. It only takes one to kill someone like Trump or to inflict incalculable damage. I believe Tim McVeigh proved that, and Democrats tend to be MUCH brighter than he was.

The numbers are significantly higher than my estimates because Putin, WikiLeaks, Assange, and others are also interfering in our political process. So we Democrats are feeling set upon, much like Conservatives felt a week or two ago. Only we Liberals are more numerous, smarter, and in some cases-better trained. Then again, training is not everything in terrorism. But you see the can of worms the red-neck gloating material has created. And some were worried about the Conservatives being pissed off. It’s like everyone suddenly forgot that it was Liberals who founded the country. We can be nasty folks, amongst the worst of the worst. However, many of us have decided to try peaceful means to protest, such as the vote. But we will NEVER accept rule by a candidate who was anointed via FBI political intrigues, and especially when these intrigues are done while the electorate is being bombarded by external cyber attacks from abroad. Part of me would love to see those fuckers wasted in the most brutal and painful way imaginable, each and every one. A slow, roasting fire would be too fast a death. Another part of me would happily turn away from that path, and use nonviolent resistance.

But any way you look at it, we Liberals will resist. I mean it. I sure as hell will. And that makes for the seeds of a civil war. I don’t think we have much choice but to act in defense of our freedoms, and there can be no freedoms when agents from abroad and national police forces are trying to decide whom our president should be. That’s bullshit, and it cannot stand! So here I am, dreading what might be. The Trump supporters should look at what they’re cheering for, because it is civil strife, blood, bullets, and bombs. Hell, they’d do the exact same thing if this bullshit was being pulled on them. So we’re all being played a bit, although the damage doers are the prime targets-including Putin. In the meantime, all goes awry. All this, set in play by the FBI. It is the Turner Diaries in the making. Sad. Very sad.

So where do I stand? Assange, WikiLeaks, and the FBI have to go. Is deadly force acceptable? It will be to some. They will regard any member of these organizations as deserving the worst imaginable fate. I have “friends” in WikiLeaks, and their demise would not bother me-such is the shallowness of my soul. One used to send me pot in the mail. He has delusions of grandeur and power, and thinks what has happened is good. He rejoices in the interventions. Let he and others reap what they have sown. As for me, I am old, fat, and disabled. All I would do is make a good target. But yes, I do support conflict, albeit nonviolent. For example, I opt to out the WikiLeaks and FBI people, publishing all their names and contact information. I would join in mass marches and occupations, even if violence was used to suppress us. Yet in the end, I would rather die than kill. Mind you, I wouldn’t mind pounding Assange’s face into an unrecognizable mass, but that is the calling of my beast within.

Clinton might somehow prevail, especially if other Liberals are as pissed off as I. We will most definitely vote, but I fear the undecided might not see the same threats to our freedoms as do we Liberals. I’m not sure God dithers about such matters. But if we’re truly one with God, than God is dithering a lot. And so at this stage of my life I prepare for a revolution that is beyond my capacity to fight, but within the calling of my ancestry and spirit. Yet I pray there is no need for a fight. I am so very weary, and the struggle will be long and hard. But what better way is there to die than in pursuit of freedom from those who would impose their will upon others? I would much prefer peace, but cannot passively tolerate the intolerable. Please God, don’t let this foolish species make such a struggle necessary. Well, God helps those who help themselves.

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THE PERFECT MOMENT

by Dr. George H. Elder Sunday, October 16, 2016

A few lonely clouds waft on high while the sun plods towards twilight. Long shadows, cool breeze. The harbingers of fall are here, with vermillion, ochre, gold, and other gloriously colored leaves gently floating to ground. One by one they grace the earth, leaving naked trees to await spring’s bounty. God is a marvelous painter, with a palate of infinite hues and textures. I feel blessed for this moment we’re currently sharing, that sublime solace that allows us to ponder as one. Hard to breath today, and I find myself thinking of her. It is always her. I have not seen Jiehui for nearly seven years. We speak, though I haven’t called since mid-July. She missed my birthday, but I’ve been through worse. Still, it’s always me who ends up calling. I clutch onto illusion, always hoping for what isn’t there.

Most think I’m bat-shit crazy for holding on so tightly to a love some claim evaporated. They tell me the feelings weren’t mutual or that they died long ago. Perhaps they never existed, except in mind. It’s hard to explain why I hold on, but I know they’re dead wrong, all the well-meaning critics. To me, there is an ideal, a singular truth that ties one to all that is; to God, if the term is acceptable. I swore an oath before that Great Unifier, that foundational essence running through everything that allows us to understand one another in ways that transcend mere words. And I love Jiehui. I truly do. Like many marriages, ours had its towering peaks and unfathomable valleys. We fought over trivialities, being hard-pressed by an unexpectedly successful internet retail sales company. Protracted hours, financial demands, forms and forms and forms. All dust and fading memories now.

She wanted a career, and I worked my ass of to help her get the needed degree. Brilliant woman, but not good under pressure. I was so proud to see her graduate. Then poof… out to Portland, Oregon. Intel research scientist in QC. Yet not fully prepared. I made it back home in the meantime, for home was no longer where I was. Not without her. State College, Pennsylvania had become a bleak desert, an infinitude of lonely time without life. I felt nature’s impetus calling me to return from whence I came, to the bucolic setting of the Connecticut River’s Upper Valley. The river separates central and northern New Hampshire from Vermont, with numerous tributaries, lakes, and mountains gracing the verdant landscape. Painful portents told me the path ahead led to but one place, the peace of a box buried within the moist, dark soil of my childhood haunts. Then came the Widow-Maker, with small odds and ample damage. God smiled, and here I am, though reminders of the event visit daily.

No phone call from my illusion during the storm, but things were not going well for Jiehui. Terrible times. Intel = pressure. A perfectionist cannot long endure. Her mind broke, and Intel eventually found itself 10% responsible. If she pushed the issue, I imagine a stipend could be set up. But she is so fucking broken it’s tragic. A brilliant woman. She could grow crystals that generated electricity when impacted or heated. Now she can spend weeks on end fretting over what brand of vitamin is the best to take. Nothing else gets done in the interim. Incapable of planning and executing, with marked depression and anxiety. Alone, friendless, hand-wringing. She won’t see shrinks, but is totally nonfunctional. It hurts.

I’ve sent Jiehui over $135,000 in the last five or six years. I do not know how much for sure, nor does it matter. There’s nothing left now. Nothing at all. Yet I’m not worried about me. The universe talks to me every day, and I welcome becoming one with it: as in a passing thought, something that dances through our mind for a moment before it disappears. We grasp a bit of meaning in the interim. Then we’re gone, relating what we can before venturing forth. Fine, but how can I help her? Hell, I hang by a thread, but she might live another 30 years. They could be great years. But she won’t get help. She doesn’t understand that she cannot understand. That’s the way it is with broken geniuses. They get stuck in repeating loops. They forever spin, but go nowhere. So why do I care?

Moments. There were moments of pure bliss. And I hope everyone reading these words has felt them. They make life worth living, at least in large part. Yes, those precious shared moments of passion, embraces that turn two into one. Shared time that gives life value and meaning. All things change, but memories are nearly realities for me. I get locked into imagination land. And there she is, actually smiling! I can touch her soft face, feel her warmth. Some might find this a sad excuse for a life. Then again, lots of characters run around in my tiny brain. Plato and Aristotle just about set up a school in the place, as did other ancients: Pythagoras, Anaximander, Zeno, Cicero, Thomas Aquinas, and many more. And God lives just around the corner of Memory Lane, two-thirds the way up on Mount Lebanon’s western flank. We talk at times, though this damn book I’m now writing has taken me far from my friends.

Yet she’s still here, hovering about in the recesses between my thoughts. Some say it’s hopeless. Oh, there has been ample opportunity to find another. It’s hard to believe romance can knock on a fat, old, gimpy man’s door. But it most assuredly does. Can’t figure it. Anyway, part of me is always away when the knock comes, locked in a memory. It’s an idea, something that is linked with the ideal, but far from it in reality. Perhaps it is better to live a life without such reflections, yet we have to be true to our natures. And there she will always be, an integral part of me. Some love absolutely or not at all. Not sure if that is good or bad, but like all things-it depends on the context. Right now, I’m listening to soft sock, pondering some pleasant thoughts, and sharing notions with friends such as you. That’s not a terrible outcome. Only regret is that I cannot help my Morning Sunshine, the literal meaning of Jiehui. She will always be here, locked away in a willing heart.

Life’s what we make it, and I’ve few regrets. Wish I had fallen in love earlier. Wish there were children. Wish, wish, wish… But I’m very happy to simply watch the sun slip into twilight and to share some time with friends. There isn’t much left in the material sense, perhaps enough to survive a few more years. But the threads that sustain me on this journey will fail one day or another. No one escapes that. And on that day, she’ll still be here, a fading memory that will be the last thing I hold on to. I shall recall that special moment, that perfect moment. And if there be nothing after death, all of eternity will be as a blissful night’s sleep that knows no waking. If there be an existence of any kind, one wherein thought links one with all, she will be there, smiling. Could my love be naïve and misplaced? Perhaps. But if the knowledge of that enduring passion gives Jiehui one moment of comfort and bliss, one perfect happy memory, then mine was a love well-devoted. Life is good, my friends, and I’ve few regrets.

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PURPOSE

by George H. Elder 8/20/2016

Socrates reportedly claimed that, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The philosopher asks us to look deeply into everything around us: to study the uniqueness of all things and what characteristics unite and distinguish one thing from another. Beyond the physical, Socrates also asks us to examine the very thought processes we use to categorize and differentiate, coyly noting that at many levels our concepts are relativistic. Thus, one can simultaneously be larger than some things, yet smaller than others – amply demonstrating that one can be possessed of polar opposite characteristics depending on niceties such as context. So we are small within the context of sumo wrestlers and large within the context of the pygmies. Many of the ancients thought our essential task is to examine these relationships as they relate to our ongoing thoughts, to peer behind the this perceptual veneer and to grasp a deeper reality. To people such as Socrates, a life devoid of such a metaphysical quest is essentially meaningless.

I find this general view more the stuff of dogma than enlightenment, for whom determines what worth is – let alone what defines an unexamined life? Eventually, these kinds of questions lead into an examination of purpose. Why the hell are we here? Is there a reason for our existence, or are we merely the end products of happenstance? Do we exist simply because we can exist or is there an underlying reason? Some turn to religion for the answers, being given insights by way of pondering the scriptures. Others embrace science, using rationalism to “examine” the nuances of being. Of course, religion and science are merely means to find answers, with many missing the essential point that these endeavors are ultimately united by the processes that sustain thought.

These symbols you are reading, their meanings are interpreted automatically as you proceed – albeit that the meanings you impose are derived from your personal experiences and beliefs. Thus the word “science” might have a negative connotation to some while “religion” may evoke a feeling of opprobrium from others. The point is, we all employ inherent and learned logicoemotional associations as the process of shaping meaning unfolds. This inevitably colors our perceptions and interpretations, and does so based upon the vagaries of our genetics and experiences. This makes it nearly impossible for us to objectively think about how we are thinking, let alone share intended meaning. Thus, when I hear the word “dog,” I think of Gretchen–our rather nasty tempered German Shepherd. The image you see might be far different in terms of breed, emotion, and other characteristics.

Granted, one word can modify another to the extent that we can grasp the essentials of what another is seeking to express, as you are doing at this very moment. But what about examining our own thought processes sans the presence of others? To remove one’s self from an assessment of the self is a daunting task, but such an approach is required for a life fully examined. As I reflect upon my reflections, the only enduring insights I ever managed to glean that are of any value did not come from books or discussions or lectures. They came from dreams, which in my case were serial in nature – as an unfolding quest that began very early and persisted until I was about 50. These were lucid dreams, as realistic and vibrant as anything one could experience while awake.

The problem is, the dreams defy description and might well be the end product of delusional abstractions, an attempt to find meaning where none might exist. Indeed, our quest to question requires us to examine these possibilities. People of belief have no such qualms, and I admire them for their ability to make the abstract concrete. Here, a belief becomes perceived as a reality, albeit one that can lead to some dreadful repercussions for those holding differing views. People of science are also prone to regarding their proofs as absolutes, even to the extent of shunning peers who question their rationalized conclusions.

And now you see my problem. It has taken five fairly complex paragraphs to get us nowhere fast with regard to my intended purpose. My purpose is to share insights related to dreams, with the essential one being related to purpose. Odd how that works. It all boils down to a simple sentence that came to me while communing with something I was one with, an entification of what most would call God. Yet there was no face or form, only a light that burned my eyes when I tried to discern any physical characteristics or presence. The words came to me as thoughts, powerful and thundering. I asked the entity what it was, and it replied, “A dynamic being of ultimate selflessness.”

Out of that seemingly simple statement poured a host of ideas about the machinations that underlie the relationships between energy, matter, and thought – the foundational triad of existence. For example, the terms ultimate selflessness led to an examination of how any one thing can be within all things, as in the closed set of all things that includes itself. Despite the obvious paradox, one quickly grasped that the God I was discerning could be found in the face of a lover, or the touch of a child’s hand, or the purring of a cat. Yes, the face of God could be discerned in a mother’s glance and even in a mirror. The only way I could sense this was to understand the futility of seeking to apply particular forms and names that cannot hope to describe something that is beyond description or formal logic theory.

From the quest to find meaning in the dream experience came a concept of purpose. I saw that the quest itself formed a linkage with part of the triad that supports our existence, as in a metaphysical aspect of being that interacts with matter and energy. Which came first is a chicken or egg conundrum that provides fodder for deeper minds than mine, but I saw that seeking answers to such question might be the essential reason for our being. Matter and energy dance in wondrous ways that forge galaxies and planets, all bound within an underlying order/logos that defines their dynamic interactions. Wherever life can exist, it flourishes–eventually giving rise to beings that can readily contemplate the thoughts we are currently sharing. It is our ongoing search for meaning that gives these thoughts a metaphysical presence, a presence that plays a part in shaping the machinations between matter and energy. Thus we turn our thoughts into rocket ships and books, even into words like these that instill thoughts in you that may go well beyond anything that I envision. So let us begin…

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Convention Politics

Dr. George H. Elder 7/31/2016

I do not know how much good my Facebook machinations and writings did during the recent DNC gathering, but the only means of communication many of us have is the Internet. I had written a piece about Trump’s malignant narcissism a few weeks ago, and even the RNC ran with it, along with numerous other websites. After the RNC convention, the stuff hit the fan. By way of review, the excitement began when WikiLeaks released the DNC’s e-mails just before the convention began, with the idea being to destroy a party that was already divided. I looked into WikiLeaks, which has a very dubious history. The files below indicate what I found, and this info was released to numerous websites. Here we find a foreign power interfering in US electoral affairs, and the link was made in several postings.

The connections between Trump and Putin were fairly easy to track down, and several blurbs were produced for numerous liberal-minded websites. These garnered interest, and soon the hunt was on for details on the Trump/Putin/WikiLeaks axis. Some of the blurbs were published as memes that got thousands of hits on Facebook, though my Ukrainian friend did not respond to my inquiry. She could have been most helpful due to her connections, and there is a trail here. Yet as fait was to have it, Trump himself openly called for Putin to release Clinton’s 30,000 e-mails, a singularly inane thing to have done. I instantly put out a blurb on that issue which included the sedition and treason statutes, and some helpful sites pushed the piece. Many others were joining the fray, and that approach exploded, with even Putin himself responding to the turmoil. Unbelievable, but Trump had made his connection with Putin Public, and the press went wild–as it still is.

I am continuing to dig into WikiLeaks and have plagued them for a bit on their Facebook sites. The people there seem ignorant of their own history to an amazing extent, but they display a cult-like devotion. To me, there was an attempt to destroy the Democratic party via widening the rift between the Bernie and Clinton camps–which could not have been more divided. It is actually all about Assange’s revenge-fix, as well as Trump’s opportunism and clandestine machinations to curry favor and support. I think he is in serious financial trouble. In any event, Bernie brokered his power wisely, the details of which are included in the blurbs below. God, he was wonderful. The party was descending into open warfare, a process that was greatly aided by TrumPutin trolls and Bernie Diehards. I devoted far too much time responding to them–though wailing on the trolls was kind of fun at times.

I think Clinton and Bernie may have seen the train-wreck coming and made a deal well before the convention began, recognizing that Russia and its stooges were interfering in our electoral processes. In any case, Bernie’s speech pulled the party back together, and it is something for history to look back upon–albeit somewhat staged perhaps. But that old man kicked some serious ass. He ended up reforming the DNC, getting his people into many positions of power, basically writing the platform, and partially gutting the party-hack Super-Delegate system. Alas, the diehards still came out in force and what a bitch of a fight there was. I fought those people tooth and nail, and ended up writing one of my best pieces while doing so. Hey, I voted for Bernie, and explained what many of us had perceived. The piece was circulated, though work rapidly shifted to pulling people together. A few minor blurbs were made about the Greens, the differences between the parties, and other issues. The troll whacking continued throughout, though that is pointless given the automated nature of trolling.

In the end, I was speaking about love, and the release we all need from hatred and anger–which is totally unlike me. Gosh, it was a higher calling, advising people to go in peace if they must. I even wrote a piece about love with funky clouds, etc. But it came from the heart because attacking my fellow Bernie supporters seemed foolish. The goal was to pull them back so the policy changes would not die. So much had been gained that it could not be tossed for the sake of wounded feelings and vanity. I noted many diehards were tied to the Greens and WikiLeaks, and I went after both. I was tiring by this time. The throat started to close up and balance altogether failed at times. Hate that crap, but did not lose a beat. Did the genetic tested they wanted, but know I must ride the dragon. Very hard going right now.

The DNC speeches were brilliant, and especially the one given by Obama. He is a great orator, but they all were. Even Clinton shinned, and she had some devastating lines. Goodness, that speech was wonderfully written and adequately delivered. It suddenly became much easier for the entire party to support her. As all this unfolded, Trump continued to melt down. His $650,000,000 links with Russian banks and oligarchs were revealed as were his various direct interactions with Putin–which Trump is denying despite letters and live tapes indicating otherwise. Currently, he being called a traitor and far worse, and not just by Liberals. It is clear the man is mentally ill and that his intellect and knowledge base is very limited.

In the end, the attempt to destroy the party failed altogether, though I think about 5%-8% of the diehards will got to the Greens or other parties. The write-ins for Bernie will be small, but what a battle this was. Yet some good came of it. The party is MUCH more open and fair now, which is a great outcome. However, what is going on at WikiLeaks bothers me greatly, so there can be no rest. They have become a power unto themselves, and are far from accountable and transparent–the very things they ask others to be. They are so damn idealistic, much like myself. Yet they do not see that harming another harms the self. So much to do.

Here are the blurbs and articles. Use them as you will. There are many more, but most are modifications of existing themes. The Bernie history piece was probably the best, though the narcissism piece was very widely distributed–as was the brief work on treason. The dates run mostly from July 25 to July 31, but these were not formal articles because they had to be cranked out very quickly to have any impact. It was an intense period for me and many others, and only God only knows if my efforts did any good. But on a personal level, I am totally beat.

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Malignant Narcissism

by Dr. George H. Elder 7-17-2016

Trump’s behavior perfectly fits the psychological syndrome “malignant narcissism” because few people are better exemplars of this tentative diagnostic category. Wikipedia defines the condition thusly:

“Malignant narcissism is a psychological syndrome comprising an extreme mix of narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, aggression, and sadism. Often grandiose, and always ready to raise hostility levels, the malignant narcissist undermines organizations in which they are involved, and dehumanizes the people with whom they associate.”

The applicability of this description to Trump is precisely why he is so very dangerous. Being a syndrome, malignant narcissism is composed of subsets of distinct disorders that are widely accepted in the mental health field. These include egosyntonic aggression, for the subject has a deeply ingrained and bloated view of his needs, goals, importance, and self-image. He or she considers all means acceptable that foster and/or defend this sense of self, even if they include overtly aggressive behaviors towards those whom question his/her traits or whom are merely perceived as threats. The problem is, the subject is often blind to his/her perfidy, considering it perfectly normal behavior. Does this sound familiar?

Most consider the syndrome as part of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) with paranoia and antisocial components–some of which reach the level of sociopathic behaviors. People with this disorder are known to willfully harm others in their pursuit of power or whatever goals cross their minds. They show little remorse, seldom admit bad behavior, and many have an insatiable lust for power and authority. At their worst, the malignant narcissist acts without conscience or morals, for he/she believes they are of consummate importance and are destined to do great things.

Hitler, Stalin, and the Marquis de Sade represent the condition in its extreme forms, and are good reasons to question the efficacy of a Trump presidency. Here is a man who does not know the depth of his illness, nor do most of his followers. They simply see a strong man willing to speak his mind. A deeper look reveals a divisive and egotistical man who has a long history of abusing others and setting himself on high. One shudders to think about what his reaction would be toward the give and take of normal domestic politics, let alone what occurs on an international level. One thing is for certain, Trump should not be in control of any means of mass destruction. In defense of his massive ego, he is capable of doing anything with such power.

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No one ever doubted the DNC was biased. It always has been, and thus expressions of ANY surprise are surprising. To me, this was always a given, and I knew that BEFORE voting for Bernie. Only a fool would have expected neutrality when an outsider is knocking on the door. What you diehards will never grasp (delete in your tiny little minds) is that the campaign had limited support in many groups. For example, look at the African-Americans and Latino-Americans votes. Clinton was much stronger than us, as she is against most others. We lacked organization and appeal to these groups–and it cost us repeatedly. In the end, we lost by 3.7 mill. Can’t explain all that away… Hell, the DNC was destined to get what it deserved, but I am fascinated by the “why now” questions. Some don’t give a damn about motivations–just the realities. I give a damn about motivation, timing, and those niceties, having known the realities from the beginning. Hmmm, but if one claims to care only about realities vs. what crafts them… then the reality is that Clinton has already won. Bernie has already supported her. Clinton and Bernie already agree on 80%+ of the progressive agenda. Good enough for me to support Clinton. Don’t much like her. Don’t like the DNC at all. But the progressive agenda I support rides with Clinton, like it or not. And please, you’re too grown up to give me this Green Party crap. Jill S. is just as self-serving as any of them and she has zero chance of getting elected. Every rational person reading these words knows that. Good Lord, Ed Snowden gets a cabinet position in her administration and 30-50% of the military budget is cut! Think you can sell that dog? Maybe to the tune of 5%-10%. Like Nader, the Greens could divide the progressive ticket, and thus would begin the rule of Trump. This is acceptable to some kamikazes, but not me. I am not voting for a person. I am voting for a set of progressive ideas that are congruent with my philosophy AND also have some chance of being put into effect and/or protected. I have but one imperfect option. Good enough for me. My God, this feigned outrage about a known is ludicrous and childish.

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I voted for Bernie when I lived in Vermont, long before it was the popular thing to do. I voted for him again when he ran against Clinton in New Hampshire. I honestly felt he was the better candidate, but we cannot negate the fact that Clinton secured 3,700,000+ more votes. Moreover, the argument that these numbers are completely felonious bullshit wrought by the DNC defies logic and research, some of which I have examined. In the end, we lost because our appeal was not broad enough–though some of my kindred do not recognize this basic fact. Bernie certainly does, and so don’t most who voted for him.

We played the game of savaging Clinton, as per normal politics. Absurd claims were made regarding delegate counts, purported frauds, and all manner of subjects that were designed to instill a deep hatred of Clinton. Hey, I disliked her well before that crap, but I also recognized the lies and hyperbole for what they were–half truths wrapped around our agenda. Some of the propaganda released didn’t pass close examination, but the kindred devoured it. Indeed, some of us became twisted, angry, and unreasoning shit-heads who spew cyber-venom every chance we get. I am still one of those folks.

Now we have Wikileaks telling us how truly evil the DNC is, as if we didn’t know that already. It appears that Wikileaks got their material the Russians, thanks in part to their love of Trump. Yes, we progressives are being manipulated by all sides–including Clinton’s. But I could give a damn what Clinton says or claims. The thing I know for sure is that she supports about 70%-80% of our agenda–at least in terms of policy. And I don’t care if the platform is “only” 60% of what Bernie wanted or that Clinton is this or that kind of evil, lying, duplicitous bitch. I will vote for Clinton, as will Bernie. I figure it is up to us to make sure Clinton does as she says if elected because our job does not stop when this election cycle ends.

I note that some of you equate Clinton with Trump, claiming there is no significant difference. That’s the single stupidest thing I hear from my peers. The Trump trolls have worked us well, playing on our disappointments, building false hopes, and claiming every setback was due to Clinton’s dirty tricks. So we drank the Kool-Aid and now some of you hate her guts. Congratulations! I don’t know what good this hatred does for progressives or the things we believe in–but it is palpable. Yet objectively, Clinton is most assuredly MUCH closer to “our” general philosophy than is Trump and his merry crew.

Did you listen to the RNC convention? Did you see how they behaved and understand what they plan to do? The changes they will make to the courts and congress could screw minorities, the poor, women’s rights, and much more. And this asinine idea that we only need to endure four years of such misery is simplistic bullshit because the proposed changes can last for decades! To this disabled person, Trump a very serious threat. Yet appeals to fear are pointless, for my kindred seem far too bright to see what is in their own best interest.

To me, this election is a fight for survival–plain and simple. If we care about progressive ideals, we do everything possible to secure and/or protect them–even to the extent of voting for Clinton. If some feel the personal price of casting this vote is too great, consider what your pride is costing others. We are in a battle with a force that represents the very worst prejudice and intolerance that has been seen in many decades. We are also facing a very ill man who could do great damage to our nation. Each of us must do what he or she thinks is right, but Trump is the real enemy of all progressives. Doing anything that helps him harms us all.

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The folks who run WikiLeaks have mastered how to have an agenda without ever revealing what it is. They are as secretive and closed as the organizations they claim to be exposing. A person of conviction suffers the consequences of his/her deeds, as did Socrates. Running, hiding, deception… I see no true conviction there. I only see cowardice writ large.

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The Trump trolls are here, and they are feasting. But this silly notion that the Democrats and Republicans are essentially the same is lame. That is like saying a jackass and elephant are the same because they both have four legs and are mammals. Gosh, I wonder if the many differences between Cons and Libs matter? You know, like differences in social welfare programs, court appointments, vet benefits, child care, and little things like that. Well, you can fix ignorance with knowledge, but you can’t fix stupid.

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The notion that the Democrats and Republicans are essentially the same is absurd. That is like saying a jackass and elephant are the same because they both have four legs and are mammals. Gosh, I wonder if the multitude of differences matter? And here there are policy differences on choice, wages, vet benefits, insurance and much more. Well, you can fix ignorance with knowledge, but you can’t fix that special kind of stupid that thinks Dems and Cons are the same.

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Yes, TrumPutin is absolutely a traitor, and he knows full well that his Russian master has already given him DNC e-mails in exchange for the planned destruction of the Democratic party. It isn’t quite working out that way. Regard the traitor’s sewage as a threat. He is saying to Clinton, “Back off or my friends will really mess you up.” Let us see how strong she is…

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Let no one speak for what God wants or does not want, and especially with regard to supporting Trump! It is sinful to say that God wants this or that, and anyone who does so is condemning him or herself to perdition. I am ashamed of some of those who call themselves Christians.

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I listened while Trump called Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas,” and it disturbed me greatly. Now his minions borrow his prejudice and hatred when describing her in the same way. I do not know if their spirits can hear a higher calling, but try to hear this. There are 5.5 million plus proud Native Americans, and some are my friends. You Trump people have insulted each and every one of them, for to denigrate one is to denigrate all. Think that will play well in November? Or do you think at all?

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The Wikileaks… The storey goes that Trump spoke nicely about Russia’s Putin, a man who kills reporters and enemies in numerous brutal ways. Putin replied with nice words about Trump, the start of a budding bromance. In the interim, Putin calculated that Trump will be easier to deal with than Clinton, especially if Putin has an edge. He sees Clinton as another Obama, a man he very much dislikes and who has stymied him several times. So Putin cyber-hacks or has spies steal DNC records. Meanwhile, or a bit afterwards, Trump talks of bugging out of NATO, sending US allies into a fit of fear. A few days later, Putin/Assange/Wikileaks drops the e-mail bomb on the DNC, destroying its credibility and harming the Democratic nominee. Fast forward to a victory by Trump, only now Putin has him by the shorthairs. If Trump is not compliant, Putin quietly threatens to reveal the links he had with Trump that led to the release of the DNC papers–the secret quid pro quo. It doesn’t matter if the reports are true or not, all the inferences are in place–along with witnesses, etc. Trump at last understands that he is at grave risk of being prosecuted for treason, so he fairly much does as Putin asks. No one is the wiser, as long as Trump plays the game as dictated by his new best bro. Truth is, Trump lost his power to maneuver after he dissed NATO and Putin & Co. dropped the DNC bomb. Putin can make the link any time he wants, and Trump was dumb enough to give him the leverage. And for what? To sooth Trump’s massive ego? It takes some intellect to avoid these kinds of traps, but Trump is not overly bright. Its a very plausible scenario. Well folks, we could all be well and truly screwed. As for the DNC, they screwed themselves and deserve no sympathy whatsoever. Interesting how international politics works. It is not a game for stupid people.

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Understand the history. I voted for Bernie when I lived in Vermont, and long before he ran for President. What some of his more recent followers fail to understand is that Bernie is a tough pragmatist, someone who is anchored to ideals–yet flexible enough get the best political compromise he possibly can. This has always been his way. We all knew the DNC had tilted the playing field long before the primaries even began. It thus surprises me that so many of my kindred feigned outrage when the stolen DNC e-mails revealed what we already knew.

Bernie calculated what we needed to do to win, and we very nearly prevailed. What cost us the nomination has little to do with the DNC. We just couldn’t get enough Blacks, Hispanics, and other traditionally democratic voters aboard, though we were starting to make some inroads–as the numbers show. It wasn’t a matter of money, but of having an adequate organization in various communities. That is where Clinton was very strong.

Still, we garnered enough support to become a serious challenge, and Bernie brokered that support into more concessions that we thought possible. We now have a new DNC, and some Bernie people will be there. We have a platform that was largely written by our people, and includes a wealth of reforms–such as getting rid of this damn super-delegate system. Hell, we even have Bernie people on Clinton’s campaign team.

So I would say we accomplished a hell of a lot, but this doesn’t seem to be enough for these “Bernie or Bust” diehards. Some are joining the damn Greens or writing in Bernie’s name-which he does not want because this does nothing for his policies. A few are even voting for that idiot Trump. But what truly hurts is that these people are willing to blithely throw out what we have accomplished for the sake of their hurt feelings, indignation, and vanity.

For God’s sake, our hearts and souls were pored into the changes and concessions Bernie forced, and he knows that these policies depend on Clinton getting elected. You toss her overboard, and you also toss us overboard. You toss Bernie, the supreme court, women’s rights, and countless other policy issues into the sea. And for what? You turn on your own while claiming to be holy and righteous. And with your words and deeds you cut us to the core, calling us sellouts and worse. And some of us have had more than enough.

Look, I am voting for Clinton because it is the only damn way we can come away from this struggle with a good deal of what we sought. Whatever the hell you diehards do is fine with me, but don’t call yourselves “Bernie or bust” people. I want to call you selfish, myopic and cruel, but expressions of anger are a waste of time. The vast majority of Bernie people will return to the quest. We will get Clinton elected and hold her feet to the fire. She will feel the Bern for as long as we draw breath. As for those of you who run away–how can one run and still be a diehard? And so, a new battle begins.

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I am sick to death of Bernie diehards, and especially since Bernie himself has bowed out and supported Clinton. Many diehards are Trump trolls wearing progressive clothes, confident that stupid-ass Liberals cannot recognize their game. Others sound like entitled, elitist crybabies who whine at a whim. I voted for Bernie in the NH primary, way back when the movement got started. Despite their bitching, I will vote for Clinton in the general election. She and Bernie agree on the vast majority of progressive issues, and that’s good enough for me. And I could give a shit if the platform is “only” 70% of what Bernie wanted or that Clinton is this or that kind of evil bitch. Hey, I don’t much like her, but I despise Trump. I almost despise Trump as much as those whiney little shit-heads who carp about how wicked Hillary is or how disappointed they are that Bernie did not win. Hey, grow the fuck up and realize that we don’t always get what we want! Vote for whomever you will, and should Herr Trump become our master, see the reason why in a mirror. Revolutionaries, my ass. Crybabies, you bet. Sure, screw the Supreme Court, minorities, the poor, women, etc., etc., etc. Is that how it goes when diehards have hissy fits? But one thing is for sure, very few of you have actually been listening to what Bernie is saying. You gave up doing that after it stopped being cool!

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Jill and the Greens are at 3.5% because her ideas lack scientific support and popular appeal–as ANY review of some of her climate notions will indicate. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans will not support a 50% cut in the DoD budget. The vast majority would also never approve of putting Ed Snowden in ANY cabinet position. I could go on and on and on. But the point is, she will never exceed 5%-8% because her ideas are not viable. That means NONE of her policies will ever see light. At least Bernie has many policies in the platform, so I will vote for Clinton. But hey, if you want to walk the Jill-shill path–go for it!

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A TrumPutin troll is evidenced by a low I.Q. and angry attitude–an unfortunate combination. They are one with their master, who is a treacherous Russian dupe and a coward. Like their master, they hate this country and all it stands for. Plus, they wet their beds on a regular basis and never clean the sheets. Ewww…

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You’re lying because the truth hurts. And the truth is you like a lying, conniving traitor, a plaything of Putin and the Russian banks.

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As his insanity becomes more manifest, the FBI and mental health organizations will have to work together. He is a malignant narcissist, and they are amongst the most dangerous people alive. But this time, he may have publicly broken the law.

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TrumPutin’s most recent meltdown has led to an open violation of the sedition statute in that he asked the Russian government to steal Clinton’s e-mail records in the presence of an entire audience. There is no doubt these records contain Federal tax forms, Federal grant applications/forms, and a host of other governmental documents. Encouraging and conspiring with foreign governments to steal US properties is sedition under 18 U.S. Code § 2384. The code states:

If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

As I reflect upon the history of Wikileak’s Julian Paul Assange, I see a man who has a huge ego and considerable talent. He appears to be an idealist, but an idealist does not countenance the gassing of over 4,000 Syrian civilians in the city of Ghouta and the deaths and brutal internments of agents, operatives, and their affiliates–who are, after all, people. Assange runs from responsibility for the repercussions of Wikileaks releases, and does not seem to be familiar with Plato’s Apology. Here, Socrates accepts the court’s judgment of death, eschewing the opportunity to flee. To him, it was better to face a harsh judgment than to ignore his principles. And during his trial, Socrates mounted a passionate defense of those principles, one that has echoed down through the ages.

Clearly, Assange in no Socrates. But what concerns me most is that there is a clear agenda and bias in what Assange releases. For example, where is the release of Russian political and state records? Why support Russia and Assad’s work in Syria, while excusing the savage deeds of his backers? He also seeks to interfere in the US electoral process from his distant perch, doing as his masters in Russia want. He is driven by bitterness toward Clinton, and all of those perceived and real “enemies” who consider him a criminal. Indeed, Assange sits in judgment of others but fears judgment for his own deeds. He has achieved a hero status amongst some, but this man is more a self-serving coward than a person of conviction. He places his own life above the principles he espouses, and his actions have harmed others. It is better to die for one’s beliefs than to live as a coward. Time to man-up, Julian.

Here is a potted review. Wikileaks… As I reviewed the threads there, I saw a group that mostly envisions itself as progressive. By definition, Progressives are social reformers with liberal ideals. In Wikleaks, the impetus for “revolutionary” change is wrought by pilfered cyber records, with the gleeful absconders being skilled in the art of computer hacking and breaking internet security protocols. I envision geeky elitists working from the secure confines of their comfy abodes, protected by layers and layers of software, encrypting devices and associated equipment. They happily break into any governmental or private computer, taking whatever they will.

What concerns me is the motivation, which in not transparent, open, or accountable in this group that supposedly supports all these notions. I am not sure whom formulates the agenda, though Assange seems to have considerable control. However, it seems to me that Assange is far from a revolutionary. He had a fractious childhood and at a young age began his hacking career. Being naive, he was busted and given a slap on the wrists by Australian officials. I note the various tags he used and the gleeful exuberance he displayed concerning his deeds, which indicates narcissistic tendencies. He began working with police and prosecution teams on cyber crimes in 1993 and then for a number of corporations beginning in 1994–hardly the profile of a revolutionary.

By 1999 he is chiding the NSA for developing the technology needed to eavesdrop on phone calls and other transmissions–with his concerns extending to Internet spying. Oddly, he has taken up eavesdropping and cyber spying, as the DNC and many others have learned. Wikileaks began in 2006, with Assange traveling widely making links and forming an association of like-minded individuals. By 2010 he is publishing many documents associated with the Iraq war, thus earning the enmity of many governments–including the US. He was supported in these efforts by some countries that agree with his general political agenda, including Russia’s Putin.

In 2010 Assange visited Sweden. It was here he was charged with two counts of sexual molestation, one charge of sexual coercion, and one charge of lesser-degree rape–a peculiarity of the Swedish legal statutes. There was considerable evidence, but Assange fled prosecution, claiming all the charges were fallacious. In any event, three of the four charges were eventually dropped due to the Swedish statute of limitations, although the rape charge is still active.

Sweden actively sought to pursue the charges against Assange, so in 2012 he applied for political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. His deeper fear was deportation to the US because he was aware that some US operatives and their associates had paid a horrible price due to the information he released. This was particularly the case in Russia, though others also suffered. Ecuador granted asylum based on Assange’s fear that the CIS might assassinate him. He remains in the Ecuadorian assembly to this day, with a number of countries now seeking his extradition.

Despite his legal problems, he actually ran for the Australian senate in 2013 in the “Wikileaks Party.” The party mirrored Assange’s expressed desire for accountability and transparency, which is something Wikileaks runs from. Moreover, the expressed goal does not seem to have worked out well in Assange’s communications and interactions with the Greens, and the election became a shambles. In fact, Assange’s party secured just 0.66% of the vote, with his Green partners also taking it on the nose.

In 2013 Assange traveled to Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad and others, purportedly to seek a peaceful resolution to the country’s festering civil war. Amazingly, he dismissed Assad’s devastating gas attack on the city of Ghouta–a war crime that slaughtered around 1,000 civilians and wounded some 3,600 more. His position was consistent with Russia’s, and it earned him world-wide condemnation–including by the US State Department.

Assange increased his release of classified US documents in 2012/13, and soon learned he was the focus of a criminal investigation. US officials had been pressing for his arrest since 2010, but it seems his actions in Syria were deemed particularly problematic. Moreover, some of the documents Wikileaks released led to agents and others being compromised–with some deaths being reported. In December of 2015 legal proceedings were mounted against Assange in the US court system.

Assange was aiding Ed Snowden from 2013 on, providing information, document release vectors, and other support. Like Assange, Snowden is also sought for compromising the lives and welfare of covert agents and their operatives, with Russia granting him a type of asylum. Not wanting the dreary situation of being under his masters’ direct control, Assange requested that the French grant him asylum. This was refused in 2015. In 2016, Assange tried to use the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to avoid arrest, but this came to nothing. Currently, he is attacking the DNC, having avoided the RNC, Trump, and, of course, any and all Russians.

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Please… Snowden and Assange are allies. But that’s of minor interest to me. Now, let us be transparent and accountable. For example, you know about Ghouta, and the monstrous excuses that were made for that chemical attack? What was it that your master said? Hmmm. And I find it odd that WikiLeaks talks about the criminality of others when your master has such an impressive record. Tell me, did any of your leaks result in deaths? Oh, and what about Kenya?

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We have a man who is clinically “disturbed” being one step from the presidency. His followers are blind to his deceit and treachery, so it falls to us to save our country. For years, the Republicans accused us of being soft and pliant, of giving our country away. How ironic it is that Liberals will save this land from a malevolent madman.

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Yes, the WikiLeaks people are involved, as is Putin. He is beginning to run away from the mess, which leaves Trump hanging. But those damn WikiLeaks people have to be held to account. Assange is in bed with the Russians in terms of the agenda, but the leaks were so very clumsily handled that the whole thing has exploded in unintended directions… as in serving to help reform the Democratic party, giving Bernie people far more power, and pulling a fractured party back together. Not at all what they intended.

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Oh, the DNC and Clinton leaks. Yes, the WikiLeaks cult is involved, as is Assange, Russian hackers, and Putin. Putin is beginning to run away from the mess, which leaves Trump hanging. Assange still has his Russian RT TV deal going, but they’ll toss him under the bus if necessary. But those damn WikiLeaks people have to be held accountable. Assange is in bed with the Russians in terms of the agenda, but the leaks were so very clumsily handled that the whole thing has exploded in unintended directions… as in serving to help reform the Democratic party, giving Bernie people far more power, and pulling a fractured party back together. Not at all what they intended. Now they spew cyber venom all over the place, happily imagining they are mighty warriors and soldier’s of truth and justice. They are a cult, and one wherein most of its members don’t know they are being played. Hell, they don’t even know who their masters are!

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It is not just the diehards. They want you to go after them to split the vote. We also have the TrumPutins, Greens, and WikiLeaks cult. They have programs that look out for threads that contain the words “Clinton,” “Hillary,” etc. Then they send in the Trolls. It is a highly automated process.

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Charisse, go back to 2010 when Assange and Russian diplomats were in Syria, purportedly to work out a peace deal… Review what Assange said and did, and ask yourself if he was aligned with Russia or not. They were pleased as hell about the 2010 record dump concerning the Iraq war releases. Meanwhile, the US began looking into criminal charges, for the release cost intel assets (most of whom escaped, though some were jailed, hurt, etc.). Basically, the allegiances go, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but there is a greater issue here than political allegiances. And this issue has little to do with what our nation does, for you people are every bit as mendacious as the State Department and DoD. On one hand, you claim to be on some revolutionary mission to change the word by exposing the graft and corruption of governments, businesses, and individuals. You expose their dirty little secrets, but do not seem to recognize your own need for accountability and transparency. Whom tells you what to steal and what to display? How does that work? Do you ever take account of unintended consequences, including the hardships and deaths of innocent and corrupt parties alike? Do you ever ask yourself what gives you the moral right to harm others and interfere in their affairs? These are especially important questions for those of you who claim to hate war. Look back to your interference in Kenya, and count the killed and homeless. Thing is, you are acting as a government unto yourself, and the most intrusive kind of government imaginable. You may see yourselves as revolutionary warriors of change, and cheer each other on accordingly. What I see are a self-anointed group of zealots who cause at least as much harm as good. If we do not take responsibility for our deeds and shifting political alliances, don’t we become like unto those we work against? Alas, responsibility seems to be a problem for Mr. Assange and his merry band of miscreants.

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Assange is on Russia’s RT TV, wherein he has a regular weekly show. He is intimately familiar with the two Russian hacking sites that stole the DNC records–having exchanged tips with them. Moreover, Putin has control of the two groups, so one sees the picture come together.

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Yes, the WikiLeaks people are involved, as is Putin. He is beginning to run away from the mess, which leaves Trump hanging. But those damn WikiLeaks people have to be held accountable. Assange is in bed with the Russians in terms of the agenda, but the leaks were so very clumsily handled that the whole thing has exploded in unintended directions… as in serving to help reform the Democratic party, giving Bernie people far more power, and pulling a fractured party back together. Not at all what they intended. To give you an example of the relationships, Assange is on Russia’s RT TV, wherein he has a regular weekly show. He is intimately familiar with the two Russian hacking sites that stole the DNC records–having exchanged tips with them. Moreover, Putin has control of the two groups, so one sees the picture come together.

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Ann Coulter is a vulgar opportunist who offers extreme views to garner notoriety–something she cannot do via reasoned discourse. She is not particularly bright, witch also fits the mold of those she serves. She and Trump are like peas in a pod.

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This man-child is a distinct threat to our country. But it seems Trump has displeased his Russian masters with his mouth, and especially Putin. He gave away associational deniability via his bombast about Putin releasing Clinton’s e-mail records, and this irked Putin big time. This is yet another example of a small brain that is only partially connected to a huge mouth.

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The Russians and their allies tried to destroy the Democratic party though a devastating Wikileaks release just before the DNC convention. Bernie helped save the day, and bit by bit we saw how we were being manipulated from afar. Changes were made to the DNC, the platform, and even in the high ranking people in Clinton’s campaign. We emerged a better party. We are more united, more reformed and far more determined to win. I can’t speak for others, but I’m pissed off. Bring on Putin, the WikiLeaks despots, and all the damn oligarchs. When one tries to kill and fails, the result is a very angry beast who will rip you to pieces. Yeah, that is what awaits Trumputin.

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This meme will work for us, but Trumputin folks lack the attention span to read something like this. It also has some big word, like personality. How about: Trump knows nothing, does nothing, and offers nothing worth listening to. Hmmm… some of the words might be to big. I will ask Nicole–who is six, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll ask Rebecca–who is three. We’ll figure out something that will appeal to the Trump zombies.

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I would be in tears if I were a true Republican. Their extremists took over the brand, and selected a man-child as their leader. They purged dissenters and created a party of brain-dead zombies who march in lock-step. The party of Lincoln has become hateful, prejudiced, and intolerant. Still, the only way to defeat this rabid hoard is with numbers–and that we will have!

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I am not sure if this is a matter of evolution, or a species of group madness–as in the formation of a cult. There are plenty of examples of them. A cult that gains control over a nation is ALWAYS a destructive and deadly occurrence. One can say this occurrence is caused by any number of things, but it is a clear and present danger.

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My goodness, Trump ought to avoid hitting anyone! He has very tiny hands, and I am sure they would shatter upon striking a wash cloth–let alone a face. The old name for his illness is “malignant narcissism,” which he shares with Hitler, Stalin, and his current love interest… Putin. Peas in a pod.

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No, we Bernie people fought too hard for the DNC, platform and personnel changes. There is no way we will watch that mutate or slither away. Besides, I thought we were the big tent party, unless you want a closed show.

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Who can blame them for storming out? The extremists took over the brand, and selected a man-child as their leader. Moreover, they chose a malignant narcissist, someone who is clinically deranged. The extremists purged dissenters and created a party of brain-dead zombies who march in lock-step. The party of Lincoln has become hateful, prejudiced, and intolerant. Still, the only way to defeat this rabid hoard is with numbers–so we best vote. This guy is dangerous.

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Trump will surely dump Melania for Putin, so she better grab her jewelry and get out Dodge. Imagine, little TrumPutins running around the White House, giving stiff-armed salutes to our new Tsardom flag.

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Rudy has become irrelevant to everyone. He hopes to gain attention by saying extreme things, but no one is listening. He is like the kid who runs from adult to adult. He cries shrilly because he needs a hug.

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Cut him loose? No, they own him. The extremists took over the brand, and selected a malignant narcissist as their hero, a man-child who is clinically deranged. The party of Lincoln has become hateful, prejudiced, and intolerant, but one cannot run from him or herself.

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Yes, the DNC WikiLeaks. Such a nonpartisan thing to do, though Trump kind of spilled the beans on the whole deal. Putin is beginning to run away from the mess, which leaves WikiLeaks and Trump hanging. It is not like WikiLeaks is an independent organization. Assange is most definitely in bed with the Russians in terms of the agenda, but the leaks were so very clumsily handled that the whole thing has exploded in unintended directions… as in serving to help reform the Democratic party, giving Bernie people far more power, and pulling a fractured party back together. Not at all what was intended. To give you an example of the relationships in this affair, Assange is on Russia’s RT TV, wherein he has a regular weekly show. He is intimately familiar with the two Russian hacking sites that stole the DNC and Clinton records–having exchanged tips with them. Moreover, Putin has control of the two groups, so one sees the picture come together. Do you truly think these relationships are something to be proud of? Look at your history and count the dead. Don’t ask others for accountability and openness when your own leadership acts with prejudice and contempt. If you truly were even-handed abusers/heroes, you would have found Trump’s tax records and exposed them to all. Seems you have a definite agenda, but I bet not a one of you knows what it is.

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Responsibility seems to be an alien concept to Mr. Assange and his merry band of miscreants. Of course, Assange has a personal agenda, and he would give his soul to punish Clinton, if he had a soul. I am most pleased the entire episode has exploded in his face. And I long for the day when others hold him to the same transparency and accountability as he holds others.

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Oh, Rhonda, Bernie sees a whole bunch of his policies on the line, and they mean a lot to us. I am one Berny supporter who will vote for Clinton, as will about 90% of the rest. Some numbers go higher, but those WikiLeak folks helped pull us together. No one likes foreign nations meddling in our internal politics. And believe me, Bernie has no fear of Trump or being blamed. Most regard him as a heroic figure.

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The Logan act stipulates:

953. Private correspondence with foreign governments.

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply himself, or his agent, to any foreign government, or the agents thereof, for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.

1 Stat. 613, January 30, 1799, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 953 (2004).

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Alexander, what kills me about your position is that is tosses away all we have gained. We gutted the DNC and now have some of our people in place. We basically wrote the platform. We won on party reforms and a host of other issues. The only way we can get some of the changes in place is if Clinton wins, not to mention concerns about health car, veterans benefits, judicial appointment, and a whole lot more. Why would any true Bernie supporter want to erase what we have accomplished? Do you want to “punish” the Democrats, or do you want to punish us? But why the hell punish anyone when we can get nearly everything we wanted? I just don’t get it.

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Please, around 5-8% or less of the Bernie people are considering the Greens, so try not to speak for all of us. The Greens?! You have to be kidding me. Jill and the Greens are at 3.5% nationally because her ideas lack scientific support and popular appeal–as ANY review of some of her climate notions will indicate. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans will not support a 50% cut in the DoD budget. The vast majority would also never approve of putting Ed Snowden in ANY cabinet position. That’s a comedy move. I could go on and on and on. But the point is, she will never exceed 5%-8% because her ideas are not viable. That means NONE of her policies will ever see light. At least Bernie has many reform and other policies in the platform, so I will vote for Clinton. But hey, if you want to walk the Jill-shill path–go for it!

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We have 8 haters here, and 630 people who love/like the meme. I do not know at what point a real Bernie person turns into a troll, but let them rant. Don’t feed the Bernie Bots or Trolls. If they want to hate, let them hate. God bless every one of them, and let them be in peace.

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The Greens like popping up in these threads, and they have every right to. My take on the Greens is that they are not a viable way of getting any policies into effect. Jill and the Greens are at 3.5% nationally because her ideas lack scientific support and popular appeal–as ANY review of some of her climate notions will indicate. Moreover, the vast majority of Americans will not support a 50% cut in the DoD budget. The vast majority would also never approve of putting Ed Snowden in ANY cabinet position. That’s a comedy move. I could go on and on and on. But the point is, she will never exceed 5%-8% because her ideas are not viable. That means NONE of her policies will ever see light. At least Bernie has many reform and other policies in the platform, so I will vote for Clinton–as will Bernie! I don’t want all our hard work to go down the drain.

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If we truly want to be the party of love and tolerance, we have to stop hating one another. I voted for Bernie, but the wall of hatred many of my fellow Bernie supporters have built can topple the progressive agenda–as ironic as that seems. The savagery still being dealt out to Clinton on a daily basis by some progressives is very disheartening, and there are no easy fixes. This isn’t about reasoning out what is best for those of us who believe in progressive ideals. Nor is it about appeals to fear, for these do not move closed hearts. This is about bitter disappointment, crushed hopes, seething anger, and a hatred that is ultimately destructive to many of the ideals we share. Life often requires us to be pragmatic enough to embrace things we do not fully like. Sometimes, we have to accept what is good enough, and then work hard to improve it. Our alternative is to become like unto the RNC, a place where lock-step hatred seeps from every pore and flows far and wide. That is our true enemy. Bernie has supported Clinton because he knows that she and he share many common ideals. I agree with him, and will also vote for Clinton. What others do is up to them, but the thought of a Trump presidency is hard to reconcile with support for a progressive agenda. It is beyond time for us to unite.

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Jeffrey, I make up my own mind, and I often do some serious research. I am very skeptical of the models used for climate projections, though I am not one to totally dismiss some of the homeopathic approaches she has advocated at certain times. Her position on vaccinations has varied. It was dangerous at one point, and stood at odds with a lot of medical research. Well, a host of medical research. This earned her enmity from other medical doctors, and her papers and ideas were attacked. However, hard numbers are difficult to find in this area, plus she tends to straddle pro/con positions at times–as is the current case. Her idea that Trump can be defeated by being elected is just plain lame, imho. Read it and weep, at least in terms of logos. Some of the budget and administrative ideas are bizarre. Reducing the military budget by 30-50% will not be supported by the people or congress. And this lame ass idea of putting Ed Snowden in her cabinet is nothing but pandering to the most extreme of her followers. Good Lord, getting him past the warrants would be impossible. Plus, few American would want to see that run-away come back home. He can stay in mother Russia. She is every bit as conniving and political as any of them, at least as evidenced by her altering positions to appeal to certain groups. I’m not sure one can cancel debts so easily, and the list goes on and on. Free education, sans a means of paying for it. Some Bernie ideas, but we got hammered on some of those policies during the debates. That is a number crunching game wherein promises are often made at the cost of economic viability. Hard going there. The science is what bugs me, but my rejection of her party is not based on any meme. If you like her ideas, go there and join her. Not me. I am a Bernie guy who will vote for Clinton.

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Jeffrey, your anger is showing through. I agree with your visual regarding changing views, but we come from far different philosophies. For example, I was an “old school” neo-Classicist. One of the take home messages from my readings is that one accepts responsibility for his/her actions and does not run from accusations. If Ed Snowden wants vindication, let him face his accusers. Read Plato’s Apology. When I got busted for pot many years ago, I wrote a kick-ass remotio criminus based motion that greatly impressed the judge. The judge was ready to rule in my favor, and I switched my plea to nolo. She asked why. I said I was guilty as hell. She opted to file my case without a finding. Point is, why would you ever put a person in a position of responsibility who runs from responsibility? That is not heroic or cool or anything at all worthy. Moreover, what cabinet-level experience does he have, other than knowing his way around a keyboard? I could go on, but what’s the point? Wasted words and wasted time for no good end. That is why we go in peace, and I sincerely wish you all the best.

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Any thinking Republican has to be questioning Trump’s behavior on many levels, but his followers hardly think at all. Eventually, a new Republican party will be formed, free from the rabid right. The moon-howlers will become isolated, and will never exceed 10-15% in the polls. The Republican party would be better off without them, and they would surely be infinitely better off without Trump.

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So, Assange gets to decide whom we should vote for, and tilts the table in any direction he wants. Sounds like the DNC that he complains about so bitterly. And people here cheer that on, as if it is a good and heroic thing. Very sad. You know, WikiLeaks credo once was accountability and transparency. Does that apply to WikiLeaks itself? Whom decides what targets to pilfer records from? Is there any accountability for those who are displaced, harmed or killed via Wikileaks’ actions? Why excuse mass gassings done by your allies while claiming to be neutral? But in truth, WikiLeaks is far from neutral, for where are the revelations about Trump’s taxes or Russia’s many intrigues and military actions? Of course, Assange has a show on Russia’s RT TV, and he is intimates with the two concerns that stole the DNC records. They are Putin’s toys. In truth, Assange hates Clinton for very personal reasons, and he is using WikiLeaks for a purpose that is more political than ethical. Does that matter? You people here don’t seem to care much for the rights and wrongs of many deeds or the stipulated purpose of WikiLeaks. You have become like the governments, agencies and people you target, a force onto yourselves with hidden agendas and back-door deals. Yet none of you sees any hypocrisy. As I see it, accountability applies to all, including Assange. Let him be judged as he has judged others, and please don’t think that “cause” excuses damage done. People died in Kenya, and agents, their families and even distant associates have been jailed and displaced–and far worse. Of course, one has to break a few eggs to bring those responsible for perfidies into the light, right? Does that apply to WikiLeaks? Does that apply to Assange? Where you see a hero, I see a self-serving egotist who uses this organization as his personal tool of retribution and political influence. Eventually, your master will be held accountable for his own deeds, for one cannot run forever. In the meantime, I suggest some of you examine your own principles before you cast too hostile a view on the deeds of others.

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I have seldom seen more ignorant people in one place. Assange is a man who runs from responsibility. He is neither transparent nor accountable, the twin credos of Wikileaks. And as has been pointed out in this thread, he is beholding to his political allies, and especially those in Russia. I suggest you all study Wikileaks’ history in more depth than this fawning praise indicates. And study Assange’s deeds, for some of them are far less than holy.

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Of far greater concern is that some of our former kindred are going over to WikiLeaks, and I suggest all of you examine their websites to see what is going on. They openly applaud stealing e-mails–not caring two bits if the Russian were involved at all. It is time we looked at this organization in at least as much depth as it has looked at others.

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Please don’t feed the trolls. Some come from the Greens, WikiLeaks cult, Bernie diehards, and TrumPutin clan. Here is how they play the game. They have programs that look out for threads that contain the words “Clinton,” “Hillary,” etc. Then they send in the trolls via prepared contact lists. In some case, they have programs that simply plug in prefabricated postings, to which we devote far too much effort. It is a highly automated (robotic) process, and the people doing this are not just the diehards. They want you to go after Bernie people to split the vote, so don’t be sucked in. They represent a minority of a minority, albeit a tedious and shrill one. It can be fun to wail on them, but they’re just not worth it. We vote en masse for Clinton, and the trolls who did all this tuck their tails between their sorry legs and go back to their Star Wars games and Hot-Pockets.

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END OF CONVENTION POLITICS

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Malignant Narcissism

by Dr. George H. Elder 7-17-2016

Trump’s behavior perfectly fits the psychological syndrome “malignant narcissism” because few people are better exemplars of this tentative diagnostic category. Wikipedia defines the condition thusly:

“Malignant narcissism is a psychological syndrome comprising an extreme mix of narcissism, antisocial personality disorder, aggression, and sadism. Often grandiose, and always ready to raise hostility levels, the malignant narcissist undermines organizations in which they are involved, and dehumanizes the people with whom they associate.”

The applicability of this description to Trump is precisely why he is so very dangerous. Being a syndrome, malignant narcissism is composed of subsets of distinct disorders that are widely accepted in the mental health field. These include egosyntonic aggression, for the subject has a deeply ingrained and bloated view of his needs, goals, importance, and self-image. He or she considers all means acceptable that foster and/or defend this sense of self, even if they include overtly aggressive behaviors towards those whom question his/her traits or whom are merely perceived as threats. The problem is, the subject is often blind to his/her perfidy, considering it perfectly normal behavior. Does this sound familiar?

Most consider the syndrome as part of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) with paranoia and antisocial components–some of which reach the level of sociopathic behaviors. People with this disorder are known to willfully harm others in their pursuit of power or whatever goals cross their minds. They show little remorse, seldom admit bad behavior, and many have an insatiable lust for power and authority. At their worst, the malignant narcissist acts without conscience or morals, for he/she believes they are of consummate importance and are destined to do great things.

Hitler, Stalin, and the Marquis de Sade represent the condition in its extreme forms, and are good reasons to question the efficacy of a Trump presidency. Here is a man who does not know the depth of his illness, nor do most of his followers. They simply see a strong man willing to speak his mind. A deeper look reveals a divisive and egotistical man who has a long history of abusing others and setting himself on high. One shudders to think about what his reaction would be toward the give and take of normal domestic politics, let alone what occurs on an international level. One thing is for certain, Trump should not be in control of any means of mass destruction. In defense of his massive ego, he is capable of doing anything with such power.

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EXISTENTIAL THREATS

by Dr. George H. Elder 7-15-2016

A truck was used to horrible effect in slaughtering over 80 people on Bastille Day in Nice, France, providing yet more proof that the weapons of terrorism come in many forms. Another Muslim attack? Well, not by an organized group. The crime was perpetrated by a wife-beating Tunisian petty criminal who had nothing going for him except three kids. Now they will have to pay for his sins and be forever marked, mocked, and maybe even killed. And so it goes.

As ISIS is crushed under a continuous barrage of air and land attacks its ardent supporters reach out to disaffected Muslims with one simple aim. They wish to provoke a Muslim/Christian Armageddon, though most of the world’s political leaders perceive the possibility and work hard to avoid its eventual realization. ISIS might reap a whirlwind of enhanced strikes over this latest assault, but will happily trade several hundred lives for the deaths of dozens of French citizens. Such is the grim mathematics of war.

One wonders if these acts of terrorism are getting ISIS any closer to its ultimate goal of a complete and hostile breakdown in relationships between the Muslim and Christian worlds. I would have said no for the time being, but fools like Trump provide ample evidence that preying on religious hatred is not restricted to radical Muslims. Trump, who borrows freely from Hitler’s playbook, has already instituted a widespread program of scapegoating and public loathing. He has thus heaped scorn upon Mexican’s, women, the disabled, and most especially–Muslims.

Thousands of Americans cheer his hate-filled words, with millions more applauding from the wings. Trump thus does ISIS’ work for them, stoking the fires of ethnic and religious hatred that lead to the immolation of all concerned. Furthermore, he has amply demonstrated that there are enough seething and bellicose Americans to tip the US into a far more cooperative attitude with regard to participating in yet another mindless war.

Even as their losses mount and territory shrinks, ISIS sees hope in the likes of Trump and other dupes who would willingly participate in their plans. Of course, the group despises the status quo because ISIS now faces extermination, the very thing they have foisted upon so many others. They plan on melting away if the need be, only to reform in other regions. But their losses in leadership, equipment, and fighters have been staggering, and they are now teetering on the brink of failure.

A wise leader would simply endure the losses ISIS and ISIS-inspired attacks cause until the group loses enough adherents, territory, cohesiveness, and influence to forfeit a viable future. This is a difficult task, but it is now being managed with some success. A fool would act disproportionately to ISIS’ actions, and thus cause so much slaughter of innocents and general rage that it fosters ISIS’ goals. In short, Trump and ISIS walk hand-in-hand, for they both thrive off hatred and discord. Trump’s ascension to power would be ruinous, but it is a very real possibility.

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AN ISSUE OF COLOR

by Dr. George H. Elder 7/7/2016

The steady drumbeat of the police killing innocent Black people is something all races should be concerned with. In the vast majority of cases there is no justice–even when it is clear that the person killed was guilty of no wrong-doing. A scared or vile-natured cop overreacted, and thus went a life. I take it personally. I was blessed to have coached at UNH for 11 years, and during my tenure I met many fine Black people, some of who have become friends. The thought of any of them getting shot down at a traffic stop or on the streets nags me. In addition, I have mixed-race relatives, and the possibility of those children being harmed simply because of their color is impossible to accept.

Yet we have ample proof that these things can and do happen, and they seem to happen on a regular basis. The police will tell you that Black-on-Black violence is a far greater problem than anything they are guilty of. That “rational” is bullshit. The honest officers will tell you they are often scared and unsure. Regrettably, the police must deal with the very worst that society has to offer, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, or any other social metric one wants to use. As a result, they learn to react quickly, for time is life in some situations. Here is how the train runs:

Black man/men present > high possibility of violence > get ready to use force.

It is an automated response that is often created by experience, but the critical point is that the response is devoid of any higher thought in way too many cases. The officer only sees a person’s color and is blind to the surrounding context. He or she doesn’t notice that the person is smiling, obeying, or giving other signals that indicate a confrontation is neither sought nor needed. The Officer is too hyped up to see the subtleties, and thus another Black life is needlessly snuffed out. It has become the way of things, and we cannot passively sit by and watch this madness unfold any longer.

The police have to be more aware of context, which is no easy matter when terrible things can happen so quickly. Moreover, we have created a society wherein any fool can get a gun–and thus the problem of responding with deadly force is very nearly intractable. The only cure is awareness. Black people must understand that the police are “wired” to react without much thought, and they must thus do everything possible to send out positive signals by way of voice, posture, etc. This does not always work, but it might save a life. The police have to understand they have a Goddamn serious problem. Their job is to protect and serve, and never to kill without reason.

I understand that self-preservation demands a rapid response, but for an officer to kill an innocent person is unpardonable. Yes, mistakes happen, but we cannot address an endemic problem by ignoring needless deaths in the courts or within city offices. Black lives do matter, and they matter a lot to me. I think of my friend Abraham, Arnold, Curt, Juan, Keith, Sherman and many others. The loss of any of them during a traffic stop would be more than tragic, for they are good men, one and all. The only cure is contextual awareness, albeit a threadbare solution.

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And Then, There is Happiness…

by Dr. George H. Elder 6/19/2016

There are countless joys life provides, although circumstances can arise that make finding them nearly impossible. When my mother died, I could only feel despair–a searing pain that still rends my soul at times.When my wife left me, there was an interminable sense of loss and emptiness, the total collapse of what seemed so real. The same is true of any number of events, as I am sure is the case with you. Eventually, I managed to understand that getting bound to any moment’s emotional state is a poor way to live. By definition, moments pass as time flows. And if we allow it, time can take us to places that help allay pain, misery, and hopelessness.

Of course, the sources of our angst are only a memory away, for memory records the past and brings it into the present. Yet the more we experience of what life has to offer, the greater our odds of finding reasons to be happy. Yes, watching a loved one suffer and die generates enough grief to make us question the very fabric of existence, and it is a pain most of us have known. Yet here we are, sharing these words and contemplating how they may or may not meet our needs and desires. We have learned to muse again, to laugh on occasion, and to notice all the good things that friendship, family and living well accords us.

Yet some become tied to past traumas due to their unfathomable finality or sheer brutality. This often happens during wars, horrific accidents, untimely deaths, and the wanton deeds of those with sick hearts. These events can freeze us in place, forever binding us to a single, horrible moment. Every new and old memory becomes inextricably tied to the source of our misery, and we slowly weave a web that allows us no recourse or relief. This is the essence of PTSD, and escaping its clutches in no easy matter. Some simply cannot endure, and duly trade their remaining days for a sleep that knows no waking.

For me, the fleeting nature of life created an ideational bridge of sorts that carries me past many new and old woes. I have come to understand that we are securely tethered to countless threads, an intricate tapestry of experiential associations that wax and wane as life unfolds. They collectively define the course of our lives and our influences on the world we share. When we step back, we can at long last see the picture we are part of, our essential oneness with being. The impetuses that can drive us toward this perception vary, but the only requirement is that we strive to see beyond the present.

I am blessed in having felt death’s embrace. During this crisis, I came to understand a bit more about the nature of time—for my moments were rapidly running out. Yes, one can actually feel life slipping away, or at least I did. I let go of fear and regret, of sadness and despair. I saw how bound I was to the self, how absorbed I was with trivial thoughts and things. I drifted in and out of consciousness, discerning occasional words as if trapped within some dark cavern. The words echoed, with only a few catching my fading awareness.

The primary thought I held on to was a powerful conviction that there is a common source for all things. Some call it Karma. Some call it God. Some like the terms science, physics, and mathematics. But there is no name that accurately fits something that inculcates all these metaphysical constructs and so much more. The source exists simply because it can, and I have yet to read any text that can adequately describe something that is all things and thus no one thing. It is a sublime paradox, with our struggle to grasp its nature being a vital part of our purpose–our raison d’etre.

I had sensed the source before in a dream, but hanging there between life and death instilled a type of peace that cannot be fully described. I recall disjointed bits of excited conversation. “Massive heart attack… Troponin levels 40 times normal… 100% blockage of the LAD… Time is heart tissue!” Yet there was no fear, no trepidation of any kind. Indeed, there was no pain, no nagging concerns, no regrets or sorrows. I was at peace, despite the grim situation. I knew I was one with what created and sustains all that is, and that was comfort enough for me.

No doctor can explain how I managed to walk away from that event as well as I did, but I know why. It is to share words like this with you, although I am a terrible writer. Please, don’t allow yourself to be bound to any moment, be it pure bliss or complete misery. Time will take you to new places, IF you allow it. It is not easy to brush away the tears and ignore the sorrow wrought by tragic events, but this is the only way to live life as it should be lived—unafraid, full of hope, and grateful to be alive. Now, if I could only break free of becoming a cranky old man!

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ON THE NATURE OF BEING LIBERAL & CONSERVATIVE

by George H. Elder 6-6-2016

To my way of thinking, people who describe themselves as either Liberals or Conservatives have their heads planted firmly up their asses. All but the stupidest of us are conservative about some issues and liberal about others. For example, I embrace equality, unions, gun control, progressive taxation, Social Security, the separation of church and state, and a host of other liberal notions. On the other hand, I also strongly support the police, our armed forces, the free practice of religion, and the general rule of law–which are often considered conservative territory. Moreover, I am definitely not open to many ideas and/or behaviors–such as pedophilia, slavery, bestiality, torture, fraud, laissez-faire capitalism, and much more.

I suspect everyone reading these words has both conservative and liberal preferences regarding various issues, so why quibble over generalized labels that only mean something to simple-minded sots who can barely think at all? So if you’re calling yourself a Liberal or Conservative, also use appropriate adjectives–like foolish, stupid, simple-minded, inane, reactionary, myopic, etc. One can thus be a foolish Conservative or myopic Liberal, but one can hardly ever be a “pure” Conservative or Liberal. Yes, one can be mostly “this” on certain issues, but there exists ample room for being “that” on other subjects. As for me, I’ve finally decided I’m neither Conservative nor Liberal. I am misanthropic with idealistic tendencies–which means there is still a tiny bit of hope. As for you self-described Liberals and Conservatives, go F’ yourselves. But please consider the following first.

The dictionary defines liberal as: “not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted.” With this comes the notion that Liberals believe “that government should be active in supporting social and political change.” Liberals are thus “open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.” The term has become anathema to some, but our nation’s founders certainly embraced liberal ideals, as befits a group that wanted to change an existing order. For example, George Washington advised, “As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”

Conservative is defined as: “holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.” This is a perspective based on preserving the existing order, whatever that order is. Thus, a Conservative “is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.” In terms of US history, Conservatives sided with King George and the established British-based colonial governance. Indeed, they were very much against the revolution, and many fought our nation’s founders. Currently, many self-described American Conservatives believe the US Constitution should be interpreted as perceived by its creators, a very difficult task given the passage of time and the accompanying shifting in meaning of various terms.

So, are you Conservative or Liberal? Or might you be smarter than that?

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A TIME TO REFLECT

by George H. Elder 5-30-2016

Here we Liberals are, angrily tearing ourselves to shreds in a brutal internecine conflict. The ongoing battle has the capacity to rip asunder the threads of mutual belief that once united us, and the opposition is doing all it possibly can to stoke the fires. Look, I have no love for Clinton, mostly because she speaks and acts like a disingenuous lawyer. She is intelligent and highly able, not nearly as wicked as some paint her, yet capable of making some bone-headed mistakes. Those same traits define many of us, and I can live with most of them. However, I voted for Bernie during the NH primary. To me, he was the better candidate, and many say he still is. However, Clinton has amassed 3,000,000 more votes nationwide during the primaries, and one cannot dismiss this fundamental fact. She will be the Liberal nominee, like it or not. I accept that, despite whatever reservations I have had.

I am a cripple, someone who survives of a $780 SSI Disability check, Section 8 housing, and food stamps. I used to be a weight lifting coach and scholar, so it has been a particularly long and harsh fall. Had it not been for Social Security and other progressive programs, I would not be here to share these ideas. And now, we have a man of unadulterated greed, reckless prejudice, overweening egotism and petty spite threatening the welfare of 11,000,000 migrants, millions of Blacks, and uncounted numbers of the poorest and most vulnerable of us. And believe me, even the strongest, toughest, and most independent person reading these words will one day experience what it is like to be sick, old, and/or helpless.

What drives me to distraction are those Liberals who are willing to sell folks like me down the river in pursuit of their idealism and goals. Millions of us will vote for Clinton for the sake of our very survival, for we “useless eaters” will surely be devoured by that mendacious orange-hued slug. Despite that clear and present threat, some Bernie supporters tell me they will not vote and others say they will write in Bernie’s name–regardless of how these actions influence the election. They tell me Clinton and Trump are essentially one-and-the-same, which is nonsense when one looks at their policy stances. Some have even said they would rather vote for Trump than Clinton and would rather die than compromise. I am also told that casualties are inevitable in every war, and especially in a fight that seeks to overturn the existing order.

So I ask you, are our kindred Liberals to be willingly sacrificed at the alter of ideological purity? My friends, existential reality does not always provide what we want, need, or hope for. Shit, I didn’t want this life, but here I am–surviving off 18 medications and 6-8 injections per day. Sometimes, we have to do the best that we can within the contexts of our situations, unpleasant though the experiences might be. And I know what it is like to be an idealist, so screw those of you who think I am a Bernie sellout. I lost two jobs and a career over freedom of speech issues, and would gladly do so again. Yet there are times we must put aside our personal desires for the sake of our kith, kin and country.

A wise woman recently told me that we Liberals are a family of free spirits, albeit the spirits of riled up cats and dogs. Sure, we may differ in many areas, but we are united in recognizing the fundamental impetus within the liberal ideology that led to social security and other progressive programs that foster the common welfare and keep many of us alive. It will be Liberals who change the party platform and make it more progressive! It will be Liberals who teach Clinton how to speak and act like a person who has more ideals than ambitions–a most difficult task. But I hope the hell it will not be Liberals who destroy their own kind via means of helping Trump get elected. It is time for the family to come together.

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MEMORIES ON A CLOUDY SUNDAY

by George H. Elder 5-22-2016

In my mind’s eye, I can still see the loaded bar resting on the power racks. It was standing press day, one of my favorites. I was obese by any measure, with my weight hovering around 300 pounds–give or take 10. All that mass pilled on a 5’8″ frame. But back then, 300 pounds was a light weight to heft in many lifts. Yeah, I was a strong fat man. The warm up sets with 225, 295, and 335 were easy, but 365 was on the bar–and the goal was five reps. That was tough at the time, three big plates and a quarter on each side of the bar.

One prepares for maximal efforts by removing all the clutter, finding a place of clarity some call “the zone.” There are no doubts or nagging worries in the zone. One goes deep inside and calls upon an impetus that has no form, name, or even description. Perhaps that is because this impetus is largely defined by the stark absence of nearly everything. There’s no higher thought, no doubts, no sounds, no distractions of any kind. There is only the bar and the goal. A powerful emotional state slowly sweeps over one. Eyes open wide, heart pounds, breathing deepens, and one might even begin growling.

One literally runs to the challenge, tearing the bear off the racks as it were a broom stick. And up that bar speeds, propelled by forces that go beyond the mechanical. On that day, 365 by five felt like a warm-up, so I bumped the bar up to 385. Anther psych bout, and I nearly got a triple. Almost all athletes know this Zen-like place one goes when preparing for a good hit, a personal record jump, or any number of other maximal efforts. It is something well beyond the physical and approaching the spiritual.

Across the room from me rests a pair of metal forearm crutches and a stout walker. Too fat, too much cholesterol, too much of everything. Massive heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, advanced osteoarthritis, and a nasty neurological disease that is gradually destroying parts of my cerebellum. Every clumsy step is agony at times, and a chair awaits soon enough. The choking and/or apnea gets you in the end, or so they say. There is a fight for air, and then one goes the way of all things.

Yet I have never been more at peace. The physical is very nearly gone, but I have something else that compels me. That zone I described, I am blessed to still be able enough to call upon it. Should there be a fall or stumble over a barrier I can’t quite manage, I get pissed off–knowing that months of healing and/or rehab might be coming. But then I think of that silly song. “Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s going to be a bright, bright, bright sun-shinny day.”

I’ve made the choice to be optimistic, and to face life in a fashion that gives me some degree of happiness, ever thankful to simply be here. Sure, it will be difficult to maintain that perspective until the very end, but that place of peace I know is just a thought away. I call upon it when the pain of a cartilage tear won’t allow sleep or when I reflect upon how weak and feeble I’ve become. Then comes that surge of warmth, that powerful impetus that compels me to complete as essay such as this. Only the goals have changed from days gone by.

The way I see it, the gift of life is a but a blink. We glimpse a tiny bit of being as discrete entities and then move on. It is what we opt to do while glimpsing that speck of existence that matters most. If we experience our time as sharing and caring passengers during this journey, then that is a life well-lived. Would that I could be better at doing that, but I am contentious by nature.

As for death, it is a win-win proposition. If there is an incorporeal existence after death, then all of eternity will be spent perceiving and experiencing things from new perspectives–a sublime dream-time. If there is no being of any kind after death, then all of time will be as a gentle and sound night’s sleep. The ancients studied and knew these things, but many of us tend to ignore their insights. And now to go out and about…

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BERNIE OR BUST

by George H. Elder 5/13/2016

I voted for Bernie Sanders during the NH primary because I felt he was much more inspiring than Clinton and perhaps more electable. Clinton defeated him during the debates, and Sanders was never definitive about where the funding would come from for many of his programs. Still, here was a passionate man of conviction, the quintessential idealist. Such a person is worth a stadium full of mealy-mouthed politicians, as Reagan amply proved. I did not support Reagan because of policy issues, but I never doubted that he held strongly to certain values–at least for the most part.

I have always regarded Clinton as a chameleon, albeit a very capable and bright one. Moreover, she garnered millions of more primary votes than did Sanders. Much of his support comes from caucus states wherein a relatively small (but dedicated) percentage of the electorate vote. Nonetheless, he has also won several primaries, and his supporters are zealous, loyal and minion. How farsighted they are is another matter altogether.

I believe many Bernie people perceive themselves as latter-day patriots, proud bearers of three-cornered hats and fervent revolutionary ideals. They are here to save the country from powerful vested interests and that god-awful money that greases the slide of American politics in general. To that end, they regard Clinton as the very personification of the corporate evil they are confronting, and they accord her no significant difference with the dreaded Trump.

Basically, many of Bernie’s supporters are set on overturning American politics as it currently operates in preference for… for what? Well, some believe we have the wondrous age of Bernie dawning. Therein, he and his fervent cohorts will suddenly undo the perfidious part of human nature that created this electoral system as it now exists–that being a monster based on banal greed and wanton duplicity.

Really? They want to overthrow all that? Well, of course they do. That is the calling of all our higher natures. It is the realm of the revolutionary ideal, a place where eggs are broken but never scrambled. The trouble is, the ideal is running into a harsh reality. Bernie is losing in terms of raw votes and delegates, though we all know this is ONLY because the system is rigged, etc., etc., etc. Just ask the Huffington Post. Thus, the barrage against Clinton continues unabated.

And yes, I have no doubt that the damage Bernie supporters are doing to Clinton could cause Trump to prevail. In fact, I expect it will given the existing animus within the Democratic Party. Bernie supporters drove folks like me away from his camp with their blind stridency, but perhaps I was never ardent or pure enough. For example, I still cling to the silly notion that politics is largely a game of pragmatism. Ask Bernie about his gun positions, and then you’ll fully understand the nature of political pragmatism.

Yet it is “Bernie or Bust” for the true believers, although I fail to see how a Trump victory would further Bernie’s causes in any way. After all, it isn’t like Trump has Bernie-friendly policies! And like it or not, the votes are what they are. Clinton will have more. No one might have enough to claim a mandate. Either a grand compromise is made that recognizes this basic truth or the Democrats will implode. We all know that.

Thus, if one does not seek or accept the middle ground, he or she willingly prioritizes a personal ideal over all else. And while I would, and have, suffered much in pursuit of the ideal, I have never done so at the cost of others. The way I see it, Trump is an existential threat to many; including Hispanics, Blacks, women, the disabled, poor, children, and the homeless. We are to be sacrificed, and largely upon the alter of those Bernie supporters who share many of our beliefs. Can any of us be so sure and dogged about our positions that we risk the fate of others?

The counterargument is that by rigidly adhering to principles one can eventually insure the future welfare of all. Tell that to the people being yanked out of their homes and deported. Tell that to the little girls who are exposed to Trump’s constant misogyny. Tell it to the seniors and disabled who are cast adrift.

The way I see it, some Bernie supporters have become so ardent that they are willing to sacrifice all for the sake of their personal beliefs–including the welfare of their friends and families. Does that make them idealists, or might a better word be… selfish? Here we see a clear prioritization of the self over the many. Selfishness is a species of greed, and that is the very thing Bernie supporters wail against.

We have come full circle. Reality is a bitch, and the best Bernie can hope for is to have an important influence on the platform, which will include some of the ideals his supporters cling to. Is that enough, or must we risk others for the sake of a personal cause? In an ideal world there should be a Clinton-Bernie ticket. But as I have said many times, Democrats are hardly ever wise enough to do the intelligent thing. I just hope they have the capacity to stop savaging each other. The enemy is at the gates…

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THE PRECIPACE

by Dr. George H. Elder 5-4-2016

And so the Republican race is now over, with Trump being the anointed. The Beast is in no way a true Republican and has a general philosophy that is best described as predatory opportunism. His claim to fame is unadulterated egotism mixed with a bombastic tendency to define others by way of puerile insults. Indeed, he insults entire countries, and one shudders at where this approach will lead when it comes to dealing with both enemies and friends. Calling folks names is fine for enlisting the unthinking masses who voted for the Beast, but it will not play well in the international forum in terms of policy nor the domestic forum in terms of getting legislation passed.

Nonetheless, the possibility of a President Trump has become a very real and pressing danger. Indeed, I imagine thousands of immigrants and citizens are busily engaged in finding ways to stop the Beast. Perhaps a thousand or so are thinking in terms of guns or bombs, and him surviving these threats is problematic. Yet Hitler survived those who wanted him dead until he destroyed much of Europe, leaving about 40 million dead–including over 7,000,000 Germans. That is the price the Germans paid for their wanton rectitude, and one wonders at the price we will pay if the Beast is elected. Hitler had opposition, but it was divided and disorganized, unable to stop what they knew was looming.

And now we have ardent Bernie supporters, gladly professing how ready they are to douse themselves with gasoline and go proudly into the electoral fires–sans Clinton. The problem with idealism is that it can become so rigid that survival itself becomes forfeit. I voted for Bernie, but anyone can see that the votes are simply not there for him to become the Democratic nominee. So there is talk of a massive write-in and fervent insistence that its Bernie or nothing. This attitude is so damn childish I can barely stand it, but I imagine the opponents of Hitler felt the same way about their darlings.

In the end, Bernie will do the sensible thing. He will broker his support into changes in the platform that will make the Democratic party’s position analogous to the ideas he has professed. Yet that may not matter, for we now have both Trumpanistas and Bernie supporters savaging Clinton. Her negatives go through the roof, and Trump inherits the presidency due in large part to Bernie supporters. What a deal! In a perfect world Bernie and Clinton would be on the same ticket, but we all know the Democrats are hardly ever capable of doing the intelligent and pragmatic thing. Idealists never are!

So, we stand on the precipice, facing a drop into a void that could devour our entire nation. The Beast stands ready, while we who oppose it bicker mindlessly. The Beast mocks us and laughs in glee at our “write-in Bernie” campaigns and our constant pillorying of Hillary. It amazes me that so many of my dear friends buy into this obvious and dangerous nonsense. For God’s sake, LOOK! See the America that is at the bottom of the Beast’s pit. It is a land crafted in the Beast’s image.

The imperious rule begins with a purging of all opposition, and the former Republican party is crafted into an apparatus that the likes of Lincoln would never recognize. Immigrants are marched to the boarders, even those who fought in our wars and helped service many of our industries. Support of children, the disabled, and even veterans withers, while untold treasure is spent on armaments of all kinds. Brush wars proliferate, for not all will bend to the Beast’s will. We even make war on Iran, using missiles and aircraft to defeat the Persians. A similar treatment is served up to North Korea, and soon enemies and allies alike grow to fear us. The blathering talking heads and senseless masses cheer, and the march goes on.

Suddenly, a person in New York is admitted to an emergency room with a bizarre and untreatable constellation of symptoms. That is where the plague begins, an unknown biological agent that is released by an unknown enemy. We die by the millions in heaps of rotting flesh that become to massive to bury. We lash out blindly, not wanting any enemy to take advantage of our growing weakness. The innocent and guilty alike burn while the skies turn an acrid white. Our few remaining children choke on their own vomit while the Beast lurks in the safe and dark recesses of hidden bunkers. All hail the Beast.

And the people who made all of this possible are those that most detested the Beast, but who were completely unable to concur their own pride and prejudice. They unwittingly created the hole our nation fell into, only realizing the service they did for the Beast as they are devoured by his works. So here we are, standing on the precipice. Before us resides a nightmare of our own making. What will you do, my friends?

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SOME CHOICE

by Dr. George H. Elder 4/30/2016

The crying isn’t quite over, but it looks like it will be Clinton vs. Trump for the role of president. And with the violence running rampant in anything to do with Trump, I imagine the blood will flow this year. Both of these candidates are so very flawed that it is a wonder they have not been jailed. Clinton cannot seem to give a yes/no strait answer to ANY question, and she has all the likeability of an alligator in heat. Trump is a fool’s fool and the press’s lovechild. He is all about bombast and ego, mixed with a pedestrian intellect and remarkably simplistic world view. This is what “we” have come up with, and many good people have fallen by the way during the travails. So, why has this miserable choice been foisted upon us?

Well, the press is a big part of the reason. They adore Trumpism because it provides good ratings no matter what. There is no work or research involved. One just asks the talking-head and he spits out 20 second sound bights with lots of thundering adjectives and adverbs–all of which mean nothing. In terms of actual content, I have seldom seen more stupidity on open display. Building great walls… deporting 13 million people… making America great again… The list of pandering pabulum and empty promises goes on and on, without an iota of explanation about how any of this is to be done. And the man is a pathological liar, spewing out so many whoppers that one cannot possibly remember them all. My favorite was the thousands of cheering US Moslems that appeared when the towers fell. Still, there is no political cost for any of this when one has supporters who are lucky to have double digit IQs.

As for Clinton, she wants the position too damn much and will do nearly anything to get it. The word “conniving” comes readily to mind. Yes, she has experience, and could probably do a reasonable job as president. But she is so damn deceptive that Satan himself would need a lawyer to understand the hidden implications of every word she says. “Yes” and “no” answers are impossible for Clinton, although I noticed how she pounded the Benghazi Committee. She is most certainly smart, but is she honest? It seems to me that no Clinton in that particular family is honest, but they are effective bureaucrats. That is the ONLY reason why I will vote for that split-tongued woman. God, she may as well be hissing as giving us a speech. I fully expect her to lie on a regular basis IF she get the brass ring, as would be the case with Trump.

As for the press, they created this miasma, and must be systematically hunted down and purged. Once a year, we all ought to have a right to stalk those simple-minded trouble-makers down, and to sew shut the mouths, eyes, and ears of any that we manage to catch. Such an open season on the press is more of a necessity than an option if the nation is to survive. The press created the likes of Trump and Clinton, and “they” ought to pay heavily for their roles in the looming fiasco. Of course, commercialism is the real threat here, for the press panders to whatever gets ratings and money for their masters. They will get a lot of good ratings when grisly videos are shown of their sewn shut mouths, eyes and ears. The up-side is that the mutilated reporters can be the center of the story, a place the press has longed for.

But the real problem is us. We voted, and our collective inputs lead to this miserable state of affairs. To me, this is absolute proof that the democracy we have evolved is an utterly foolish form of governance. Nor would the founding fathers recognize what we call democracy, for they did not envision everyone even being allowed to vote for president. They clearly recognized that the “elite” are best-oriented to decide whom should be in power, a keen point in many of their writings. And let us face it, few of us are bright enough to analyze claims, let alone select the better of two or more candidates. To me, the parliamentary system of selecting leaders is slightly better than our universal electoral system, though I can understand why some would disagree. However, the electoral procedures that give us Trump vs. Clinton must be doubted by all given the unreliable nature of both candidates. So yeah, we’re all to fault, and richly deserve whatever we get. It is a sickening situation.

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ON GETTING ALONG

by George H. Elder 4/20/2016

I voted for Sanders, but accept that he is now as close to mathematical elimination as a candidate can be. My hope is that he and Clinton can get together on the same ticket. The more anger and vitriol that is spewed, the less likely this becomes. The thought of a President Trump is horrifying to me. The man does not know 7/11 from 9/11 and can barely speak in a cogent fashion. Simply put, he isn’t very bright or stable–which makes him ideal for many voters. As for Clinton, she is about as lovable as a two-faced alligator, and Trump could indeed defeat her. Add a little Bern to the ticket, and this will not happen. It is the intelligent thing to do, which means the Democrats are very unlikely to manage the task. Can’t we just get along? Or will pride and anger become our killers?

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ON LIFE, DEATH & THE NATURE OF BEING

by Dr. George H. Elder 4/8/2016

To each life there is a beginning, middle, and end, yet I find myself pondering if our shared existence is really so linear. Yes, we all appear to ride the arrow of time, that intricate chain of cause-and-effect events that seems to flow in one direction only–from past to future. Let us open our minds a bit and ponder some possibilities. I gaze up at distant stars on a cloudless night. Had I sufficient tools, I could focus on a single star and see planets orbiting the heavenly sphere. Looking deeper still, I might detect a planet that is much like our own, complete with puffy white clouds and azure seas. And if our tools are capable enough, I could detect the presence of cities and roads, the evidence of a busy society. At the Nth degree of detail, I might even see some beings gathered on the porch of a humble, bucolic abode.

I zoom in on them, and note their faces and bodies are very similar to our own. I see the “people” exchange glances and facial expressions while their mouths open and close. The words cannot be heard, but after some time I begin to grasp an occasional bit of meaning. I deduce laughter and see gestures that emphasize what is being said. Soon, differences in gender become evident while various sized and shaped people enter and leave the scene. I watch for hours while the action unfolds and slowly work out what is going on. This is a small family: a wife, husband, and two young children. Neighbors come by for visits, and a bevy of details unfolds while I watch. I frequently cannot quite tell what the children are doing because they move at a frenetic pace, leaving and entering the scene with great irregularity. On occasion, they zip away and return on wheeled vehicles that look like bicycles.

A passing cloud briefly obscures my view, but a change of lenses solves the problem. I have recorded the scene, and will study it later. But for now, I watch. A moment of quiet occurs wherein the two parents are alone and huddled close together on a weathered old couch. The children have left the scene, and here are Mom and Dad, locked in a tender embrace. They seem to look up briefly and glance in my direction. I ponder if they are contemplating me while I contemplate them. But the fact is, they are thousands of light years away. Their time came and went eons ago, though from my distant perspective their lives are still unfolding. I am seeing reflected light that has been traveling for thousands of years. That light will continue to travel for long after I am gone, and thus those far removed from me might also tune into the same scene I witnessed. Indeed, they may even tune into me.

The point is, our existence and lives are not fully bound by time and distance. Rather, they are linked by thought and imagination–the kind of imagination that allows us to examine possibilities and craft accounts such as this. The person reading these words is well and truly separated from me in many ways, yet we are conjoined at this moment via shared thoughts. It is difficult to ponder the nature of thought as it relates to space, energy, and time, but here we, sharing ideas that can influence our perspectives. One of these ideas is that people do not die. They simply leave the scene, for in having been–they will always be. Their countless physical effects, thoughts, and reflected energy will become part of the fabric that defines our being and existential context. It is the perspective we don that allows us to see them again, sitting on that porch and exchanging glances and smiles. It might seem a thread-bare exercise in rationalism that links us right now, and especially if you have lost a loved one. But perhaps we should ponder how distant perspectives can link all things, including those we have lost. They are simply in the past, which is another person’s future. We need only ride the tides of thought and imagination to reach them. And if one truly wishes to ponder possibilities, consider the perspective of what created us.

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On Getting What We Deserve

by George H. Elder 4-6-2016

The Germans got exactly what they deserved for supporting Hitler, as did the French and British for creating the conditions that made Hitler’s ascension possible. Indeed, WWII was mostly about a demagogue feeding off a vast supply of popular resentment and anger. Sound familiar? I wonder if WWIII will have the same causal nexus, as in frustrated and mostly ignorant folks voting with their emotions? And while Hitler’s antics killed nearly 10% of his own people, I wonder how many Americans will die when Trump makes his ultimate bad deal–the one that sows burgeoning mushroom clouds that devour our great cities? That dreary eventuality will be “our” collective fault for voting the egotistical fool into office, and so we reap what we richly deserve.

Thus far, only 4,000,000 people have voted for Trump, and by the end of the primaries I doubt even 20,000,000 will have cast their lot with the devil. There are about 150,000,000 Americans who are eligible to vote, but a mere 13% of them may be enough to damn us all. Trump voters just don’t get it. They are pissed off, and often for reasons they cannot fully articulate. “They’ll take our guns!” “They’ll kill babies!” “They don’t stand with Jesus,” and so it goes–half-truths and falsehoods mixed with fear and opprobrium. They talk of liberals being evil with no understanding that the United States was founded by men who were self-avowed liberals. They demand Christian doctrines, while failing to see that our founders expressly eschewed mixing state and religion.

It is futile to argue with these folks, for they do not know that they do not know. Indeed, some of my friends have drank the Kool-Aid, and I am sick to death of their nonsense. Their outrage and shallowness will bring ruin on this country, for how could any thinking person support what is going on in contemporary Republican politics? My God, Presidential contenders are babbling about their penis size and telling lies that are not even thinly disguised. And into this boundless void of unworthiness stream the crap-eating press and minions of reality TV followers. In the meantime, some of us are being swept down Trump river, kicking and screaming all the way.

Screw you, Trump voters! I will never accept that orange-hued, quaffed-haired, muffin as my president! Hell, Donald Trump wouldn’t exist if people stopped talking about him for 10 minutes–something that will never happen thanks to the puerile press. Should his rise come to pass, folks like me will begin working on his downfall immediately. We will not be good little “losers.” We will gather, plan, and march if the need be. But we will never watch passively while our country is turned into a damn reality TV sit com. And come the revolution, it won’t be the lawyers who are first against the wall. That place will be reserved for the press and our talking heads–those folks who constantly tell us how we feel about this or that. After those warts on the human condition fall, it will be time for the elite Trumpinistas to face the music, with folks like Christi being roasted on spits. And then will come the Trump voters, unless the nuc’s already fried their sorry asses.

Of course, some things just ain’t funny. Well, I know we have to help ourselves, but it never hurts to acknowledge and invoke the Devine. God, I don’t often pray in public. And you know how totally unworthy I am in so very many ways.

But if you kindly would, help us act as we should. Yes, all things happen for reasons, as everyone sees in the turn of the seasons. But I fear the price we all must pay if only the angry have their way. All I can ask is for a bit of light, some truth that shines through the darkest night. Then they may see the rocks up ahead, portents of doom, perils to dread.

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ON KILLING TRUMP

by George H. Elder 2/25/2016

Donald Trump openly called for beating a heckler the other day, and thrashing the man so savagely that a stretcher would be needed to haul him away. Trump’s zombie supporters hooted and howled, revealing that their souls are just as rabid and ugly as their master’s. A good part of the nation’s population has gone mad, like the many mindless porcines in New Hampshire who voted for the Evil One. He is a man akin to Putin and Kim, and he most assuredly should leave the stage or die before doing harm. Alas, God’s plans often include the very worst of humanity. They act as brutal pruning tools that exterminate the innocent, guilty, and everyone else by the millions. And Trump is a man who has already said that he would rain death down on multitudes, not to mention the desolation of the millions he plans to cast out of their communities and homes.

My thoughts grow dark. Should I write about killing Trump? It is an honest feeling that comes from deep within, for Trump is a self-avowed existential threat to many. Yet is slaying a would-be killer ever justifiable? I must ponder long and hard. Doing the right thing is not always easy, for morality is often a bride to pragmatism. Would it have been right to kill Hitler when he was in the crib? One can contemplate such issues indefinitely, but in the meantime baby Hitler grows up and runs amok. And Trump has already told us he would bring absolute ruin to many within and outside our borders,” with the zombies gleefully thinking this is a great idea.

None of these fools seem to understand that carpet bombing means nothing to people who welcome being killed nearly as much as they do killing. Moreover, these kind of extermination tactics will sow endless future problems for the US, and they will make this country into something that is reviled and evil. For this alone, Trump must be stopped, let alone the hardships that many “illegal aliens” will face when they are expelled. Never mind that these people and their sons and daughters fight in our wars, pick our crops, do our hard labor, and are important parts of the communities they live in. “They” must all go.

I am positive that many Americans have found ample reasons to want Trump dead. In fact, I freely confess that I would have given my life to put an end to Trump’s madness, though the chances of that ever happening were very slim given my disabilities and limitations. Besides, do I truly wish to die with the blood of anyone on my hands, be he or she a demon or saint? There are some inescapable truths to consider. Killing another makes one into a killer by definition, no matter the motive or justification. The bottom line is a life was taken, and it is difficult for any thinking person to be a supporter of life while justifying murder.

God does things for reasons, and she also gives us free choice. Free choice can be a bitch when demagogues are running amok within a flock of brain-dead and angry sheep. Yet is it ever moral to act as judge, jury, and executioner? Play it all out. Well, let us assume I or you had the capacity, inclination, and opportunity to pull the trigger, for many of us have a bit of the beast within. So, bang, and down the demon goes. Of course, I would never flee from my perfidy nor offer up lame justifications. I am no Snowden, a man who lacks any sense of honor. Hell, I know that killing that lame prick would be wrong, and that if one does such a thing, he or she should face death or whatever else the courts dictate. One does not run from responsibility.

No, it is certainly not fear of retribution that stills my savagery, but something more profound. You see, I am sure others are also contemplating Trump’s demise, and some may be well along in their planning. Oh, what to do? Some of us need to pay a bit of penance for our savage inclinations, and God seems to have already lined up a huge dose of atonement for me. Honestly, every day there is constant pain, disability, and suffering, but I have no complaints whatsoever. Time is precious, and the misery being felt does nothing to lessen my gratitude for still being here. So is it right to take time from Trump, despite the clear and present danger he represents to this country and the world? Perhaps not.

All the fool needs is clown-face makeup, and then a few of the zombie sheep supporting him might recognize what is actually there. Hmmm… maybe “they” should hit the Trump with clown pies instead of bullets, puffy pastries that leave long-lasting multi-colored hues. Now, some of you might think I’m pretty damn arrogant to be voicing these views. All I can say in my defense is that you’re reading these lines, and if they influence you in a positive way–then that is not such a terrible outcome. My choice is to walk away from the notion of killing Satan incarnate. You may decide differently, but understand the price you must be willing to pay for putting a cause into effect. To kill is to die, and in more ways than the physical. One must simply find another way.

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Pigs & Politics

by George H. Elder 2/11/2016

A fair-sized hog found its way to a polling place during this Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary. I found it most appropriate, for that porcine is at least as bright as those who voted for Trump. I bet that big, old hog did get a ballot–a nice pink one. Yeah, and he probably managed a mark in the right place, though getting the ballot into the machine required some help.

I am usually very proud of New Hampshire, but I have to agree with the New York Daily News. There are ‘Mindless Zombie’ voters in New Hampshire and lots of them. Some are my friends! Hell, I see one every time I glance in the mirror. And to these many New Hampshire zombies that voted for Trump goes the credit of enshrining he who will destroy. Yeah, we’ve made lots of mistakes in the past, but we never placed Satan upon the thrown. Oh, my goodness, what will we do?

It is not all that amusing. But for the life of me, I see no logic in voting for a big-mouthed whiner who isn’t particularly bright or talented. He is a beast of ego, one that the press finds solace in because they always appeal to the lowest common denominator. Trump feeds the press a steady diet of bullshit, and they come buzzing about. They made him, and with every extreme utterance he feeds them. Ain’t reciprocity grand?

And now we have Bloomberg spewing up verbiage–and once again the flies are buzzing. I wonder if we are to become a nation of oligarchs, one wherein vested rich pricks run the show? Some will say we always have been “managed” by the elite. Zombie voters in NH don’t seem to think it matters all that much, if they can think at all. And some are indeed my friends, and they will be pissed off when they read this. I can live with their angst, but I cannot live with Trumpism.

To me, New Hampshire has cast this nation adrift, and into the coming tempest we shall all go. It will be no fun at all. And come the eventual revolution, New Hampshire will most definitely not be given the right of primacy in the electoral process. That right will shift from state to state, with New Hampshire always voting dead last. We deserve nothing more, and a whole lot less. As for me, I voted for Sanders–who may be able to defeat the dreaded Trump. Yeah, when pigs can fly. But it’s possible. After all pigs already vote, at least in the Granite State!

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A SENCE OF HUMOR

Dr. George H. Elder 1/19/2016

I know the voting has not even started. But the battle is already over, at least for the Republicans. All too many have surrendered to the worst of what resides within–that pent up anger, frustration, intolerance, and hatred that defiles countless souls. It has been given a palpable presence in a form that any fool could see is nothing but an illusion, yet that matters naught. Donald Trump is as far away from being a conservative Republican as anyone could possibly get, but he clearly recognizes right wing frailties and the ease to which many people of that ilk can be manipulated and controlled. And so he will ride the wave of outrage he creates all the way to the convention, wherein he will be anointed a national leader. Yes, Donald’s apotheosis is at hand, the ultimate verification that this horribly weak, praise-yearning, bullshitter actually matters.

Oh, the Republican party elders are all a dither. Some are brighter than the average Tea Bagger who worships at the alter of Donald. They can see through the smoke and mirrors, and recognize this demagogue for what it is, a soulless opportunist who shares little in common with them by way of ideology, history, or even faith. They view him as Satan incarnate coming to steal their thrown, and so it will come to pass. And should they ever look for blame, a simple glance in the mirror will suffice. The party elite have dug this hole by never developing a means of placating their own extreme right. Yet given its rabidity, such a feat might not have been possible. Now, the wolves howl freely and en masse, all 20-25% of the national population. They at last have a champion, one of their own! He is someone who stands above the GOP’s leadership, their anointed, and even party politics. Yes, the Donald has become the angry white guys’ Pied Piper, and they will follow his raucous tunes and bombastic self-promotion all the way to Armageddon.

An fiery old man from Vermont might possibly stop this mess, a socialist Jew who is about as far from the Beast in some ways as one could possibly get. Or is he? Of course, Sanders will be painted as a radical, a dangerous extremist, an outsider–the very same traits said to be part of Donald’s persona. Indeed, he certainly shares some traits with the Beast, albeit to a lesser degree. Sanders didn’t mean it when he made one marriage vow vs. Donald’s three. And he also did his share of self-indulgent bed-hopping and the like. Yet many personal foibles no longer matter because most have become part of the accepted norm. Well, that isn’t quite true for Hillary, a very bright lady who is so very hard to love. She is unlike Trump or Sanders, and is a consummate insider. Yes, she wears the skin of a populist, yet not with the same convincing sincerity as Bernie.

As I look at how this election will come down, I find it indicative of God’s sense of humor. Here, we supposedly have a stark battle of left and right, good and evil, rich and poor, all the sensationalistic opposites that we could ever hope for! Yet much of this battle is the stuff of illusion, marketing, and banal hype. In truth, American politics has descended into becoming a petty reality TV show that is stoked by a puerile and mendacious press and mindlessly devoured by shouting, angry, and unthinking masses. All we need is Gary Springer as a debate monitor and a hooting audience. The spectacle might even amuse the Deity for a bit, although there will be no winners who emerge from the fray. The country shall become more polarized than ever, and whoever prevails will inherit nothing but wormwood and vinegar. And so it goes.

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TRUMP THIS…

by Dr. George H. Elder 12/30/2015

It does not matter if Trump lies or not. Neither will his disparaging honored warriors bother his followers, nor the concomitant fact that Trump happily dodged active service. Trump simply makes it up as he goes along, telling tall tales about thousands of wild-eyed American Muslims cheering while the towers fell, the nasty Mexican government sending hoards of gangsters into the US, and the persistent use of mystery statistics that have no basis in fact. To be sure, PolitiFact contends that roughly 76% of Trump’s statements are “Mostly False, False, or Pants on Fire” lies. The man is a professional bullshitter, which he freely admits. He tells us, “People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts.” Yes, here we have a person who lives and breathes bullshit, not that this is of any consequence to his followers.

One of the reasons Trump supporters don’t care if he lies is because they have ample reason to assume all politicians do. Of far more importance is that they perceive Trump as strong and able, a shinning example of the best CEO imaginable for the nation. After all, he amassed $10 billion… or was it $4.5 billion, or maybe just a tad shy of $3 billion? With Trump, one never knows. But his obvious mendacity doesn’t mean a blessed thing to the “norms” who support him. They see strength and wealth, and not the prattling, mealy-mouthed pabulum that spews from our illustrious politicos. Indeed, the inane behavior of our leaders has so antagonized the average voter that the gaping-mawed Trump has become a refreshing change for many of the alienated–which is a large majority of the population. Yes, Trump could easily become our next President.

The talking heads and educated elite are all beside themselves, both on the left and right. They have never truly understood the norms who make up the vast majority of this country. By definition, they have average numbers. Their IQ is about 98 and their yearly income is a bit under $30,000. About 90% of American norms graduate from High School or earn a GED, and 30% obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. On an international level, norms rate poorly in math, and average in science and reading literacy. Alas, the norms knowledge of civics and history, including our own, is appalling–with most failing even simple test questions (e.g., Which came first, WWII or the Korean War?). In terms of confidence, about 30% trust the President, 10-12% trust Congress, and just 9-10% have confidence in the press.

So our norm is not exceptionally bright, is pressed financially, has little or no faith in government, and has very poor historical insights. Trump is ideal for such a population. He expresses simplistic ideas in stark terms, which equates well with the target audience’s general capacities and existing views. He appeals to prejudice and fear, which have become nearly inherent aspects of most norms given their distrust of government. His lies do not matter much because many find the hyperbole attractive, much like tinsel on an Xmas tree that draws the interest of a cat. All the duff he spews is simply translated into, “Strong, successful, good leader.” Nothing else matters to norms, so the elite chattering classes can hold onto their hats.

Of course, Trump is a demagogue, a clear and present danger to the country. He appeals to base desires and wanton prejudices, which do not invite debate or rational argument. Trump has employed many of Hitler’s tactics, and they work well enough on norms–especially during times of despair and alienation. The problem is, Trump has no experience in government. He is not a policy wonk, let alone someone who understands the least bit about the military, government agencies, international affairs, or much of anything else that keeps this country running. He will act as an ignorant butcher when enthroned, and oversee policies that will lay waste to much of what ALL of us have come to depend on (e.g., Social Security).

Like it or not, a country is nothing like a business, and woe be unto us if it is made to operate as one. Useless eaters like the disabled will be cast aside, as will non-productive elderly people. Treaties will be abrogated on a whim, and deals will be made that threaten our long-term security. After all, a man who does not know what the Triad is, can hardly be said to understand even a small aspect of the military. One could go on and on pointing out the myriad things Trump does not know, but that means nothing to norms. Norm will smile broadly and press the voting lever for Trump–never quite understanding the lever is connected to a massive pile-driver that is directed right up his/her ass. Ah, the dangers of democracy.

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Knock-Knock

by Dr. George H. Elder 12/24/2015

So here it is, December 24, 2015, and I find myself writing this essay to the future because many folks from my time seem oblivious to the obvious. It’s not that we don’t notice our record 64 degree temperature when the norm for this day in New Hampshire is 35. And some might even realize that at present the top ten hottest years on record have all occurred since 1998, a span of some 17 years. Moreover, 2015 looks like it’ll be the warmest year ever recorded. One might think a few alarm bells would be going off regarding global warming, but all we do is debate, hold international talks, and sign meaningless pieces of paper–an endless array of agreements and treaties that are seldom acted upon. Truth is, we’re numb as boards and hardly react to a blessed thing. This seems to be part of the human condition, and I pray that time adds a bit to our collective wisdom and capacity to react.

Now, I know you folks in the future have inherited the heat and pollution we left behind, and the situation is probably vastly worse than it was during my era. But to you, the world is perfectly normal because you were born into an environmental morass. The flora, fauna, weather, and nature in general all seem to be as they should. Jokes on you guys. Yes, as of the last few million years the earth shifts weather patterns, going through ice ages and warm periods. But folks during my time created this current shift, and kept it going even when we knew the weather patterns were changing at an alarming rate. Hell, most of us here like the weather on this Xmas eve, but we all know something isn’t right. Late December does not bring 60 degree days in New Hampshire and tornadoes in the South. The signs are clear, yet we do nothing.

Oh, self-serving economics and do-nothing ideology has much to do with our lassitude. And the energy parasites made oodles of money pumping crap into the air, water, and land–not that we poor folk didn’t contribute by buying gas guzzling vehicles and the like. We were a greedy, myopic, and irresponsible lot, much preferring our personal pleasures and creature comforts vs. anything akin to self-control. In short, we really didn’t give Jack Shit about the world you inherited. Yeah, some of us paid lip service to the environment by writing lines such as these, but we sat by while countless species were laid waste and vast stretches on land became uninhabitable.

Maybe we took what we had for granted. And let me tell you, there was a time when nature was stunningly beautiful. When I was a boy, the skies were deep blue with billowing white clouds floating above. One could drink cool water directly from a seeping spring and watch fish laze in the shallows of crystal clear brooks and rivers. The water’s sound was like a melody, with the cheerful chorus being provided by colorful song birds. Occasionally, a deer, turkey, or other animal would scamper by, enjoying what fodder the fields and forests offered. That was rural life in the 1950s and early 1960s, though changes were already underway and very obvious.

Alas, you people are stuck with the land, air, and water we defiled, and a simple apology seems meaningless. I am sure most of humanity will have adapted to nature’s transformation, as will a few hearty animals and plants. I know the deserts have expanded, arable land has declined markedly, and the overall temperatures must be cooking by the time these words are read. Numerous species have died off, and getting adequate food has become a serious problem for most. Perhaps measures are at long last underway to make life more tolerable on Earth, which probably has been through a few local and regional die-offs as sea levels rise and living conditions decline. Gosh, we left you one hell of a legacy.

One might wonder why we caused such mayhem. Lord knows we have ample excuses–though few reasons. To us, having big, powerful vehicles made us feel special and virile, although very few who owned these gas-guzzlers ever needed a truck that could haul a thousand pounds or an automobile that could top 150 mph. These expensive toys made boys feel like men and women feel like goddesses, and so it also went with numerous creature comforts. We made bigger and better, and then consumed everything in sight. We created a “must-have-it” culture, the plaything of wealthy merchants and advertisers. And although a good parent should consider his or her kids’ futures above all else, we certainly did not. We screwed you guys big time, and left you in one hell of a mess.

Worst of all, some of us knew the situation demanded immediate attention. Yet we did nothing. Oh, we spewed out a few words like these, but not many were militant or involved enough to stop those vested and mendacious few who were most responsible for devastating your world. Instead, we passively plodded along with our kindred, offering up an occasional plaintive bleat, but generally going wherever the herd went. Hardly a one of us bucked the trend. Your Christmas present from all of us in this era of greed and irresponsibility is the world you inhabit. Nice present, huh?

If you can, please try to make this world right. If the die-offs have not been too disrupting, odds are that the technical prowess needed can be mustered to return the planet to some semblance of stability. But please, never forgive us. Curse our names for what we have done, and recognize that no ancestor who loved their progeny would have ever left such a wounded world. Be better than us, and love your kids with a hell of a lot more care and insight than we loved ours. Learn from our lesson, and never walk the path we did while ruining the garden. Well, I am sure this winter will “normalize,” at least for a bit, but I am so very sorry that all I offered the future was a few pitiful words.

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Entitled Despots

by Dr. George H. Elder 12/17/2015

Recently, I had the dubious pleasure of reading about how a group of Dartmouth students gathered in Baker Library to protest racial issues–which are certainly not pressing in the Upper Valley. In any event, the reports indicate some young men and women were intimidated and even pushed around by the protestors, which must have made focusing on finals problematic. This turmoil was largely wrought by the Black Lives Matter movement, which has been stimulated by ample and very public cases of police brutality and outright murder. Such incidents run rampant in places like Chicago and New Orleans, although many smaller cities also provide examples of policing perfidy. Moreover, few deny that there are times when some cops behave with unjustifiable zeal, as we have seen on many cruiser-cam views.

Yet I am wondering if this justifies students setting upon their kith, communities, and others with mal-intent, the very trait they often accuse the police of having. For heaven’s sake, we have students taking down school presidents who don’t dance to their tune, demanding that teachers and administrators agree with their positions, and taking other actions that paint themselves as entitled despots—politically correct Hitler youth in training. They seldom seem to recognize their own fascist rectitude, or the fact that many of us perceive them as entitled, whiney bitches. Of course, stating this view in an academic community would instantly lead to the firing of any professor or bureaucrat who dared offer such disparaging words, such are the strictures of political correctness. The very thought of the injustices wrought by these parading punks sickens me. Freedom is largely defined by the right to disagree, and here we see a markedly militant group that is completely intolerant of dissenting views.

Two things are needed to make any meaningful changes in an existing order. The first is a profoundly deep knowledge concerning the issues involved, and the second is a detailed plan of action that can help to achieve a positive outcome. To this end, I wish these protestors would do more social science work, and come up with viable reasons why there is so much violence and crime in some communities. Clearly, violence begets violence, and thus one can partially understand why some police officers tend to act warlike in areas that have become war zones. Simply put, within some contexts martial reactions are often more a matter of survival than desire. And the crime rates are staggering in certain cities and neighborhoods, making one wonder why anyone would want to be a cop in such places. This is not to say that we can ever justify excessive and deadly police force in situations that don’t call for it. Nothing can excuse that, and I am pleased to see various perpetrators being brought before the courts.

Yet watching some of these young zealots protest and yammer sickens me. I suppose many see themselves as holy warriors, latter day descendants of Martin Luther King. But I don’t see them as they perceive themselves–at least in the case of Dartmouth students. I see kids who were consistently told how bright, good, and talented they are. They won gilded trophies and awards for nearly everything, including the mere act of participating. Oh yeah, these are gold-star kids, children who were preened and coddled by parents and school systems alike. The darling wunderkinds were told they were special from their nascent years on, and some eventually came to believe the hype. Then they made themselves judges and juries, deft little furors who can discern the one and proper path for all societies to walk. This school president must go, this football team must strike, this teacher has no right to express a differing view–the dreary demands of foolish youths who have few deep insights but lots of angry opinions.

There is a part of me that wants to put these entitled prates in police cruisers during hot pursuits or on the streets when a crime is going down. Rip them out of their ivy-covered dorms and classrooms, though some might have had a fleeting taste of the harsh realities of street life. Better yet, put these supposedly Herculean minds to work finding answers in lieu of puerile bitching. Why is homicide the number one killer of young Black men? Why are so many mass murderers plaguing our communities? Why do certain areas have such tremendous crimes rates? Until one knows both the reasons for and viable answers to pressing social ills, what good does protesting do? It is one thing to note the obvious, but quite another to figure out causes and solution.

Soon enough, ALL these ardent dictators will have to leave their comfy cloisters and go forth. That is when reality will come home to roost. It is fine and dandy to protest safely, if not stridently—but quite another to explain to an employer why you were late for work, or didn’t file a needed report, or otherwise failed to perform an expected duty. There are no participation trophies in real life, and most bosses could care less about young and tender sensibilities. Pity the fool who doesn’t know that she or he doesn’t know. Better yet, open those closed little minds a bit, and perhaps some insights will filter through. But if you entitled sots keep pushing people around and stifling dissent, you’ve become part of the problem–not the solution. Should Dartmouth educators truly want to teach these myopic students a good life lesson, suspend their sorry asses for assaulting and demeaning their peers. Oh, but that would be politically incorrect. And so it goes.

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Tears for Paris

by Dr. George H. Elder 11/13/2015

Over 150 dead in Paris tonight, and the tears flow far and wide. There is a war raging between radical Islam and the world, as we all know. We try to ignore the grim reality, and like to pretend this war won’t influence us directly–as it did during 9/11. After all, we won the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our armed forces are bombing ISIS on a daily basis. Well, the war always finds a way into our lives. Blood will be matched with blood, and I do not know how we can get out of this endless cycle. We are dealing with an implacable existential threat, much like the WWII Kamikazes. But these suicide attackers are largely stateless, so all we can do is kill the killers en masse. There is no government or nation to defeat, so there will be no surrender, treaty, or reconciliation. The Germans have taken in thousands of potential killers, and so chaos will reign in Europe for many years. It is so damn disheartening because many of the refugees are running from the likes of what has happened in Paris. As the news reports come in, I find myself rearranging my model ships–trying to ignore a stark reality. ISIS will surely reap a terrible whirlwind, but will it matter? How does one kill an idea that embraces killing? Even after we eliminate all the radical leadership and thousands of their followers, the idea will linger… Will it eventually become a war of extermination? That is howISIS sees it. How does one respond to that perspective? So very sad.

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Illegal Aliens

by Dr. George H. Elder 10/18/2015

My kin came to New England in 1638, whereupon we were given a land grant in Hartford, Connecticut. Now mind you, I am fairly sure the original inhabitants of the area were not consulted as to how their seized lands were being distributed, but our forefathers had firearms, heavy artillery, cavalry, ample numbers, and very good military organization. Indeed, we had a more developed lethal technology, and thus the natives didn’t stand much of a chance. Oh, “The People” fought mightily against our incursions, especially when my ancestors began to migrate into northern New England. In fact, the natives killed two of my kin in separate engagements, but the flow of blood definitely went against The People.

It strikes me that we had no legal claim to the land, other than what was granted by others who had no legal claim to the land. We took because we had the power to take, and their territory became “our” territory through force of arms and ruthless policies of ethnic cleansing and extermination. It is the typical Western way of things, although other cultures are equally piratical. As a result, many of our ancestral histories are linked to those who slaughtered people who called this land home for at least 600 generations. It thus seems peculiar that a multitude of my kindred are so ardently against “illegal immigrants.” For heaven’s sake, nearly ALL Americans are the sons and daughters of illegal immigrants, even those whose families settled here over 400 years ago. It is as if we have no sense of history, no inherent culpability for what unfolded on this land that we now call the United States. Then again, perhaps we fear getting the same treatment we served up to so many others.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love my country deeply, despite our various flaws, inconsistencies, and moral lapses. This brief essay is a perfect example of why I love the US, for where else would one be allowed to so critically examine our own past? That gift of freedom is precious, rare, and can form the basis for countless great things. But against this we must weigh our myopia concerning history and our incessant rapaciousness. There is no doubt we are possessed by a vanity and arrogance that is common to many conquerors, and thus we wallow in our ancestry and form organizations that celebrate our glorious past. We laud our families’ great accomplishments, works, and deeds, and hardly pay any heed to those we displaced and annihilated. Then we troop off to our churches and thank God for our bounty, as if God hears the invocations of those who steal and murder.

And now we want to protect our booty from those damn Hispanics–even though amongst our blood-soaked prizes were Texas, California, and the entire southwest. Yeah, we kicked Mexico’s ass in a few wars to secure all that land. The way I look at it, the Hispanics are merely coming back to settle on the turf they took from the natives. Of course, many Hispanics have a very high percentage of Native American blood, and thus their claim to the land may be more morally sound than those who are “real” Americans. So I have no problems whatsoever with the Hispanics coming back to settle in what we call the United States. I consider the vast majority of those who oppose them as ignorant, red-neck, sons-of-bitches who have no sense of history, justice, or morality. We have met the real enemies, and they are us.

My family has roots that stretch way back, but I am also a child of more recent Italian immigrants who settled here in the 1910-1920 era. They worked hard, endured privations, and built a legacy that includes the likes of me. So I see the old and the new sides of the immigration debate, and will be damned if I laud the singularly stupid ideas of closing “our” borders or building great walls and fences. Yeah, ask the Chinese how well that approach worked out. Moreover, the real strength of America is its diversity, and ongoing influxes into the gene pool are not a bad thing. Indeed, new blood can be very beneficial, as the success of this country amply demonstrates. But rather than fight about all this, I say we let the Native Americans decide what kind of immigration policy the collective we should employ. Let the true owners of this land decide how it is to be shared, or if it is to be shared at all. They might have a far better sense of perspective than any of the illegal immigrants who currently call themselves Americans.

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GUNS, GUNS, EVERYWHERE A GUN

by Dr. George. H. Elder – 9/29/2015

I have no right to be safe from gun violence, at least in this land that I love. It has been ordained that owning guns is a personal right in the US, and this trumps my right to be secure from them. I cannot be safe in my home, on the streets, in school, or even in a church. In fact, there are about 89 guns for every 100 people in the US, making us the most armed society in the world. Gun owners tell me to get a pistol or shotgun if I feel threatened, and thus to make my personal safety predicated upon the willingness to harm another. This type of “freedom” is not the way I want to live, but personal choices are limited in this land of the free.

I know many responsible gun owners, people who are not a threat to anyone. I also know nut-cases who own all sorts of weapons, and they are a clear and present danger to anyone who happens to be near. But unlike cars or other dangerous tools, one doesn’t need any test or set of criteria to own a gun. If you’re not yet a convicted felon, that’s good enough. Thus Mad Tony has several guns. He’s half crazy when he’s drunk, which is over half the time. The walls of his trailer are pockmarked with bullet holes. Yeah, he’s out there, just waiting to cook off. But it’s all legal.

This is an odd country, a land wherein one personal freedom impedes one of the most fundamental rights we should all share–Freedom from fear. There is a bar down the way, and late at night the drunks stagger by. I sometimes wonder if Mad Tony will be one of them. His seething rage may become the death knell for some poor soul, or a cop, or a classroom full of kids. But this is how freedom works in America. There are no easy answers here. Most countries address firearm issues far differently than does the US, but the collective we are being forced to suffer the dreadful malevolence of Mad Tony and his cohorts. Every day the blood spills on our streets, in our homes, and even in churches. And so it goes in this land of the free.

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BLOOD SPORT

by Dr. George H. Elder

Friday, September 18, 2015 – 3:11 AM

Another strange dream, but brutal in its theme and meaning. There were several wild animals chained to tree trunks that lined the far side of an open field. There was a doe, ferret, very large wildcat, goose, tubby woodchuck, raccoon, squirrel, and others, all of which were securely tethered to their respective posts. Every so often, a particular animal would lurch out and attack one of the others–but their arrangement was so contrived that it put one creature or the other at a great advantage or disadvantage. For example, the doe was built for speed and agility, a God-given ability to avoid attackers. Well, this was all taken away by the chains, and thus even the ground-hugging woodchuck could nip the doe’s legs if so inclined.

This greatly amused those watching, who hooted and howled with each inflicted wound. But I found the odd blood sport cruel and barbaric–the kind of stuff that went out with the middle ages. The wild cat really took it hard, being repeatedly set upon by creatures it could normally easily avoid or kill. The cat had by far the fiercest bite, and inflicted deep, bloody wounds on several of its compatriots. But the chains insured that it could not flee far, not that it tried to. Indeed, the feline was savagely attacked. The raccoon got a hold of its upper left arm and shattered the bone, leaving the wildcat limping on a mangled and disgustingly deformed appendage. But the worst damage was inflicted by the ferret. At one point, the fierce little beast tore a piece of the wildcat’s upper jaw off, a truly gruesome injury. I turned away in disgust.

Even during the dream, I knew what the theme was about–as in debate politics CNN style. The rating beasts were all tethered to their respective podiums, and ardent picadors asked each school-yard gibes designed to bring out conflict, the role of lancers in many blood sports. “Donald says your face looks real bad… just butt-ass ugly.” And so it went, with some monitoring the audience response to each and every word. Of course, Donald, the wildcat (?), supposedly got pretty ripped up–much to amusement of many. I found it much ado about ratings more than anything else, the press’ incessant need to make news rather than to report it. To be perfectly honest, I did not watch the debate, for I do not feed feral pigs if avoidable. My imagination took care of “real” content issues during this dream, albeit via a very disturbing and bloody metaphor.

As I reflect on the dream and debate, I find myself thinking of Alice and the Cheshire Cat. One day, the only thing left of Donald will be the fading image of those glaring eyes, that mocking mouth, and his famously-quaffed hair. The press is on the hunt, and such a tethered target has no chance. As for others, the best we can hope for is a wounded animal to crawl out of the bloody carnage, one of the few who managed to survive the press’ cull. As for me, I’ll have none of it. What is being conducted in neither debate nor news. It is puerile entertainment, an appeal to all that is vulgar and violent–those lowest possible denominators. Well, maybe I can get back to bed. Much to do today, and I am very tired.

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TEXICANS

by Dr. George H. Elder, 9/16/2015

Given all the Texans who have died in the name of the United States in the last 100 years or so, I am sickened by those treacherous “Texicans” who now want to secede. Yeah, they have this big old petition going, and hundreds of thousands of long-horn lamebrains are signing on. You know, a growing number of us want Texas to go. We see many Texans as whiny little bitches who lack the courage and fortitude to be Americans. If you folks want to bug out, so be it. By historical rights, Mexico ought to make a claim, but I cannot think of ANY country that would want a horde of turn-coat traitors. So by all means, take a hike–you damn bunch of ignorant, inbred wusses. Go! You Texicans are an unmitigated shame to your fallen ancestors, your neighbors, the country, and yourselves.

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Lord of the Flies

by Dr. George H. Elder, 8/23/2015

Many of us are very close to nature in rural New England, with walks through cow fields occasionally providing wonderful analogies to the human condition. Of course, cows defecate, like all animals, with the freshest, smelliest, and juiciest cow pats attracting the most and largest flies. You can check it for yourself and find this is indeed the case, with some piles of poop attracting multitude flies.Now, it seems to me that American politics is strikingly similar in some ways. Take the ongoing Trump hysteria. Here is a guy who reminds me of the biggest manure pile possible, with every extreme claim and position being designed to generate the largest imaginable stink. So, McCain isn’t a hero, anchor babies is an acceptable term, Hispanic immigrants are criminals, and so it goes–spew, after oozy spew. Of course, the press is neither imaginative nor principled, being very much like flies in their knee-jerk stimulus/response behaviors. Thus, the press buzzes about smelly old Trump, leaving the lesser poopers to wither. Indeed, CNN and the others have an endless stream of special reports whenever Trump breaks wind and releases a mess, and the talking heads make the loudest buzz over each and every word. Hell, it’s so much easier to follow what gets ratings than to do anything akin to a public service, and so the drumbeat goes.Those eager beavers who love hyperbole and don’t reflect all that much on what is actually being said attend all the noise and hullabaloo. Some even like and admire the pungent fragrance of what is being served up, finding it a refreshing change from the bland odor they are accustomed to. “Yes, sir, it’s a great idea to put up a big fence to keep them damn Mexicans out. Get ‘er done! It don’t make no never mind how we pay for it.” And so the tea flows.I am amused by it all, cow-pat politics in the US. Yes, people are pissed off, but they don’t truly know why. They blame our collective ills on out-groups, politicians, foreigners, lawyers, and everyone but the person they see in the mirror. Truth is, America is dying of irresponsibility, as in looking towards others for faults that are clearly our own. It’s the teachers fault my kid is not doing well in school. It’s the cop’s fault I got busted for stealing. It’s the bosses fault my job sucks. We eat this crap up, such is our myopia. The fact that Trump’s dung has attracted so very many flies is ample proof that we are a lost people, for no thinking creatures could ever tolerate such a stench–let alone devour it. Ultimately, those who care about the country and this world have to save it by their own thoughts and deeds. One can only hope there are enough people to take up the slack and do the things needed for the species to survive, beginning with the person reading these words. As for those who prefer to buzz around piles of festering feces, there will always be hoards of those folks.

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JOYFUL LASSITUDE

by George H. Elder – 8/4/2015

I have not gotten any writing done for four or five months, mostly due to medical issues. But tomorrow, I will go out and about on the mobility scooter and enjoy the day. Nancy and I got a lot done lately. For example, my final affairs are now all paid for, so that’s a big pain out of the way. I should begin working on the time capsule and finish a few book projects. Alas, I must confess that the writing hasn’t been going well since this MSA flare-up, but that’s a lame ass excuse. The inspirational aspect about living in Rogers House is that one is provided with daily examples of people who display great courage while living with devastating illnesses and injuries. The point is, we ALL strive to live fully no matter what we are facing! And I have not felt more alive than I do now for the last four or five years. Sure, walking can be a problem, falls happen, and staying awake isn’t easy at times. But none of that matters here. Lots of us are in the same boat. We shoot the breeze, care about one another, and try to help each other as best we can. We have pot-luck dinners, play cards, hang out, and generally enjoy life. We plan community trips and special events, which are all part of a life well lived. I have never been in a community like this, and it is the perfect place for someone like me. I feel blessed to have landed in this place, and am, at long last, content. Life is good.

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THE LOGOS OF BEING

by George H. Elder – 5/30/2015

Let us assume the person reading these words rejects the concept of God altogether, along with the notion that there is an underlying order or logos that gave rise to and sustains all that was, is and ever could be. In fact, let us also assume that one believes that the only forces in play are wrought by chance, random possibility, and similar views. It strikes me that these beliefs and ideas have a metaphysical essence, an underlying ideational pattern of thought that is based on assumptions, associations, inferences, and observations. This metaphysical pattern can serve as a self-replicating and perpetuating “spark,” one that invites contemplation, memorization, and sharing. With time, this pattern can become part of the socio-cultural tapestry that helps define our thoughts, views, and behaviors, especially since it can be spread and nurtured via the tools of communication–as in words and symbols like these. Thus, what began as an idea, the stuff of the metaphysical, becomes an organized and expressed impetus that can influence the physical through our teaching, art, and actions. For example, the idea of slavery became a tangible reality for many generations, at least until it was subordinated to other marketplace concepts–as in emancipation and freedom. The ideas of rockets, splitting atoms, cell phones and much more all became realities whose underlying properties and validity could be quantified, predicted, and demonstrated. To be sure, numerous aspects of our shared reality that began as mere thoughts were provided with an ideational basis that is far from random in its nature and complexity. Indeed, the fundamental logos underlying nearly all ideas can be given a sharable rationalistic basis, be that logic as complex as Special Relativity or as simple as, “It is so because it is so.” It strikes me that if we extend this logos, perhaps it is thoughts that provided the impetus that gave rise to thinkers such as you, the person reading this line. If this possibility exists in the metaphysical sense, one wonders why we ‘need’ to reject the Divine as an existential impetus–as in a thought about thought. Perhaps it is more efficacious to contemplate the nature and relationships of the potential metaphysical essences that may have helped spark what we are and what we share than to content ourselves with the simple notion that all is born of happenstance. Contemplating the possible roles and relationships that the metaphysical, energetic and physical might share takes us into a close examination of imagination, epiphanies, knowledge, and discovery, the very cusps of where thought and being intersect. To me, these contemplations are a form of prayer, which is the very thing we are doing at present. It is all is about pondering thoughts on thought. But what the hell do I know?

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HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

by Dr. George H. Elder 2/9/2015

I listened to Merkle and Obama today. I am stunned by the weakness of the German and US positions with regard to preserving the Ukraine’s territorial integrity against Russian encroachment. One is reminded here of Neville Chamberlain’s infamous dealings with Herr Hitler, a show of weakness that led to WWII. The complete impotence of Germany’s position is partially due to their anemic armed forces, with a mere 225 main battle tanks making up the real power (or lack thereof) of the German armored divisions. Against this, we see roughly 20,000 Russian main battle tanks. One thus sees a major reason for Merkle selling the Ukraine out–and that is very much what she is doing.Obama is floundering for a position, for he too recognizes the relative weakness of the NATO ground forces. The US has considerable military power, but it has been cast hither and yon, with most of our Cold War European forces being withdrawn. Yes, everyone thought the Cold War was over, and few contemplated that a new Hitler would arise to threaten Europe’s borders. And make no mistake about it, Putin is already redrawing the map–a process that involves turning the Ukraine into a vassal and impotent semi-state.In some respects, the Ukraine is partially responsible for its current military situation. Graft and corruption laid waste to the military for many years, and now we see brave soldiers go into battle with antiquated equipment, very little training, and no real doctrinal knowledge about how to overcome the enemy they face. Some of this is the result of negligence by past regimes, and some of it is due to poor current planning. But the fact is, the Ukrainians must save themselves because the key players in NATO will not save them. The Germans and French won’t even offer equipment, which shows just how “scary” Putin must have been during the recent meetings.The German weakness is particularly stunning, and I confess to having utterly failed to comprehend how dreadful their military situation is. The German government has put its people at grave risk, as any review of their armed forces will quickly demonstrate. Germany has become Europe’s “weak sister.” Poland has significantly greater military forces than does Germany, but they also have a very long border to protect. In the meantime, NATO sends the Ukrainian troops blankets! That is slim comfort to those who are in the sights of Putin’s minions. The justification is that NATO doesn’t want to see a proxy war. Apparently, NATO would rather see a one-sided slaughter! The real lesson here is to trust only yourselves, and not those who you thought were friends.I feel compelled to apologize for my country’s lack of action, though as always–the US is “hinting” that we will supply defensive weapons. Please don’t hold your breath on that. I thought US weapons would have been flowing in three months ago, but given the current “Rebel” offensive–I see no evidence of any advanced anti-armor weapons. Of course, the Ukrainian forces are taking a toll on the Russian invaders, and lives are being exchanged for ground. Theoretically, the Ukraine should be able to defend itself from the current threat even with its dated military inventory, but theory and practice are two different things. Sadly, the Ukraine is on its own, and all I can do is hope and pray.Please understand that many of us are not like Andrea Merkle or Obama. We welcome the idea of our countries sending the means needed to help Ukrainians defend their country. But our voices run up against the fear and lethargy of our leaders, and thus the power of Putin grows by the day. The stand Ukraine is making may cost that demon enough men, money, and material to change his plans, and thus the fate of many resides in the hands of those Ukrainian soldiers who are fighting for their country. Clearly, if Putin prevails, he will move to the next target, and so it will go until the walls fall everywhere. Some of us in the US are writing letters like this and urging our leaders to act. I’m not sure we can shift current policies, but we are trying. Indeed, many of us stand with the Ukrainian people–and we will work to help you in any way we can. May God be with you.

The pictures of captured Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh being burned to death by ISIS are haunting and disturbing. I was amazed by the valor al-Kasasbeh showed while the burgeoning fire consumed him. There he stands as the fire envelops his lower body–defiantly glaring at his tormentors. Here was a man of consummate bravery who was incinerated by a group of demonic cowards. They wore masks to hide their identities, yet their was no hiding their perfidy and wickedness. I tend to be liberal-minded–but with each passing day I become more convinced that every member of ISIS needs to be annihilated. This extends to anyone who has given them comfort or support, wherever they be. If the devil has a face and presence on this earth, it is that of every wretched soul that is affiliated with ISIS. This group works against life, dwells in a realm of unfathomable ignorance, and brings death and misery wherever it goes. They are not Moslems. They are demons that are bent on unleashing unmitigated savagery under the guise of faith, an army composed of the worst dregs the world has to offer. It is the duty of all who believe in life, faith, and reason to effect their total annihilation, without mercy or recourse. Yes, we all know killing is wrong, but it is also wrong to tolerate mass murderers who rape, torture, and enslave en masse. Soon enough, ISIS will be here in the states, and many suspect it already is. After all, every society harbors the disillusioned, those angry and bitter people who so easily give up their souls to any dubious cause. They hear the fool’s call, shed their humanity, and give free reign to their darkest impulses. Thus life’s marginalized malcontents and castoffs bask in becoming “holy warriors,” with their bitterness justifying unimaginable cruelty. The only recourse we have is to give them the same kind of treatment they so willingly give onto others. There can be no rehabilitation for those who have freely shed their souls, nor should we entertain taking them as prisoners. Do unto them as they have done unto others. These mindless zealots are not an abstract threat. They are a terrible and growing reality that represents an existential danger. Given their efforts to secure chemical and biological weapons, does anyone doubt they’ll use these agents? ISIS has amply proven it is capable of boundless cruelty, and its leadership has publicly stated its goal is the destruction of our culture. If it takes boots on the ground to hunt these demons down, it is a misery that we have to endure. I know we have squandered much treasure and lives in fighting foolish and pointless wars, but ISIS is a peril we must face. They have given the world no choice, and have fully proven their depraved intent by way of beheadings, mass killings, and every imaginable type of torture. The fight will not be easy because ISIS is not a nation. It is a terrible set of nihilistic ideas that swirl around in the minds of zealots, criminals, and fools–the devil’s fodder. The folly of joining this group must be demonstrated, though death is not deterrent to those who are willing to die. To these demons, there is no answer but obliteration, brutal, sure, and final. To those on the cusp, the complete futility of fighting a losing battle must serve as a restraint, though this can only be partially effective. The real battle is for the soul of those on the cusp, and this is surely a matter of faith. Islam is being bastardized, and those who thrive off mutilating its ideals must be exposed, isolated, and sealed in iron cages. Yes, defeating ISIS will not be easy, yet there is not choice. The irony is that we must expend lives and take lives to save lives. That is the grim irony of this kind of war. There is no other way… http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/jordanian-pilot-reportedly-burned-death-new-isis-video-article-1.2101691

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MUCH ADO ABOUT AIR!

by George H. Elder: 1/30/2015

The NFL is beneath our contempt in MANY ways. They’ve done all they possibly could to raise hell with the Pat’s, and it seems they never had a case to begin with concerning “deflate gate!” The hysterical press went wild, as they ALWAYS do, and we were bombarded with BS for several days. How can league sources, “experts,” or press-bought talking heads accuse anyone of deflating the Pat’s damn footballs when the officials never took the balls’ initial pressures? The whole story was crap from the get go–and the league knew it! There is NO damn way I’m watching the Super Bowl! Why the hell should I support the NFL in any way, shape, or form? The NFL is a corrupt organization as far as I am concerned, and is not worthy of our support. I know most will watch the game, but watching just pays the idiots who run the league. A cut in ratings hurts their bottom line, and I’m all for that. It is time for those at the top to go.

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The Evil Pat’s

by George H. Elder : 1/22/2015

The evil Patriots are now the #1 story on national news, mostly because the press are mindless and unimaginative lemmings who habitually dwell on petty vulgarities. And this story is pure duff mixed with uninformed hysteria, the stuff reporters thrive off. Alas, I fear this BS is taking away from game prep. The Pat’s will play angry, but this is turning into a dreadful distraction. In fact, both Brady and Coach B were making their cases before the thought police today–which is crap. They should have been watching film and preparing. You know, I didn’t care all that much if the Pat’s won or lost in the Super Bowl, but now I want them to win. Like it or not, football is all about winning. And if anyone one thinks it is a “clean” game–watch closely what happens along the O and D lines. Each and every play could be called for something, not that this justifies deflated footballs. But I wonder if punching someone in the throat is worse than a deflated ball? What about kicking someone, or tripping him? Is that worse? Football is a violent game, and I have NEVER expected anything other than what we get. Did the Pat’s cheat? Maybe. Do other teams cheat? Maybe. Do players sometimes do cheap and illegal things to one another? Hell, yeah! Is it right? Probably not. But given a “war-game” setting wherein careers are at risk and millions of dollars change hands, what does one expect? To me, it’s simple. Yes, the Pat’s have a history of violating some rules, and they’ll pay the piper if that’s the case here. However, I don’t know if they’ve ever put out bounties, made policies about harming opponents, or done things of that nature. I can live with deflated footballs, though busted knees, injury “contracts,” and head-hunting bug me. Hell, a soft football isn’t going to harm anyone, and it doesn’t seem to have made ANY difference in the outcome of the game in question. A whip-block or high/low block combo can cripple a player, and that is a life-changing event. Given the nature of the game, this deflated football hullabaloo is much ado about absolutely nothing! So what does the press focus on–the things that can harm players or the stuff of sensationalism? What do the sports’ shows focus on–anything deep or cheap sensationalism? We are surrounded by a press that ALWAYS appeals to the lowest possible common denominator. That are as flies eating feces, and just as insightful.

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The Power of the Moment

by George H. Elder

1/18/2015, 10:00 AM

Here I am, wearing a big old grin from ear to ear. Loud music filters through my ears, Mama Cass and company singing in perfect four-part harmony. What could be better than this? Life accords us instances of pure bliss, if we stop to notice them. That is when we are thankful for what is, and don’t dwell on what could be–the power of the moment. I sit here hapily banging on the keys and dwelling on the tunes alone… “dream a little dream of me.” Yeah, some very good moments indeed.I hope those reading this essay also find these moments, though I know it’s not always easy. Reality can be a harsh master–bills, family stuff, job crap, health woes, etc, etc. On occasion, we need a break from all that, so here I am, smiling broadly and enjoying loud rock music–albeit soft rock. I know the world is alight with unfathomable violence, the clashing of ideas and emotions that are punctuated by bombs, bullets, and bleating political phonies. Of course, there is also an endless parade of talking heads who tell us how we feel, what we think, and all the fears we ought to harbor. To be free of all that, just for a short while… now, that’s precious.So I took my mind for a walk this morning, and may do so for a few more hours. Rainey Days and Mondays, Baby, You’re No Good, Mama Mia, Feel Like Making Love… It’s very old rock music with a beginning, middle and end, usually telling a story that is wrapped around a melody. Don’t get that much of that with Rap, which seems to be something that many people without musical talent can master. Disco was irritating, but better than Rap. Country makes me want to chew my foot off at times, but it’s waayyy better than Rap. Yet there’s no need to go on and on about Rap. Let those who like it find precious moments of “Bliss” while listening to it.Ooohhh, Hotel California! That brings me back. And now, House of the Rising Sun! Ah my mind just drifted back a bit. I’m living in a dilapidated apartment across from the post office in Durham, NH. Just beginning the transition to becoming a coach. From a burn-out to a coach, the only job I ever loved. Memories, hundreds of memories. That was when I was alive. All else was tinsel and duff. Life was the smell of sweat and the clanging of weights! Screams, yells, grunts and groans while heavy iron is hefted. And all the while, one kid or another manages to do something he or she never did before. The athlete yells, “Yeeaaahhhh!” and gets high fives from peers. And I’m happy as hell. That is another joy of the moment, and it is where these tunes have led.It’s a great series of memories to touch upon. And as the quanta meld into one another a concomitant flow of electrons activates old recollections–the reflection of stored sights, sounds and meanings. There is Grady popping 325 overhead, Paul doing a 465 bench, and Lance racking in a 315 clean. Worries about money, moving, and business fall further into the background as this mind-walk continues. Yeah, everyday affairs need attention, but for the time being…“nothing really matters to me.” Images of games pass by, now being replaced by thoughts of Plato’s metaphysical realm of perfect Forms. Now we hop to Aristotle–the source of our scientific approach to examining the nature of reality. That’s how memory works, associational activations between X and Y being the norm. Plato was the idealist, contending there was a special domain wherein perfect concepts exist as discrete entities. We can touch upon these “Forms” via the dialectic, but never fully realize their perfection in our ephemeral world of being. The Forms reside in a kind of an ideational heaven, one that participates with reality as a progenitor, yet is distinct from reality. Aristotle thought the concept was crap, and postulated, essentially, that ideas and possibilities are intertwined and scattered throughout being. Thus the potential for a chair resides in pieces of wood, with the thoughts of a carpenter forging a reality from an ideational possibility. These were the seas I swam at one time…And now there’s the image of Billy in the U Mass game. It was fourth and goal, and I could swear he was in! But the official disagreed, and thus went a truly great season. The wins and losses… how I hated that part of the job. In coach’s heaven, there are green fields as far as one can see. The air is crisp, a bit cool, and only a few fleeting clouds pass through an azure sky. The athletes are executing flawlessly, and come jaunting off the field as one situation leads to another. The opponent is very good, and its a clean, hard game. There is intense competition, one wherein coaches and athletes are tested to the maximum. But we’re happy. The success of the moment is all that counts, for no one knows the score–or even cares. Hell, there isn’t even a scoreboard!And I know that during this short time we’re sharing, your and my memories will fire–and our minds will walk far and wide. We’re linked via thought, despite the time and space that separates us. Ahhh, these moments harbor freedom, bliss compounded with time. Time is all we actually have, for it allows all other things–even the vibrations of those energy strings some bright lads believe support the fabric of this reality we share. Cat Stevens reminds me, “Its not time, to make a change…” This takes me to chicken and egg paradoxes. And so this web is spun over these moments. Your mind is linked with mine, and that is a special from of sharing. It is where the reader and writer become one. Oh, but enough of this.Please, go grab a few moments of peace and set your mind to flight! Leave the duff behind and ride on memory’s wings–however you opt to journey. As for me, lord knows where I’ll land next!

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Bang, bang, Shoot ’em Up!

by George H. Elder – 12/31/2014

Many of the pro and con gun arguments are tedious. It is not a simple matter of giving up freedom for security, for MANY nations with very strict gun laws have more personal freedoms than do we in the US. Other nations with highly homogenous societies have more liberal gun laws than do we, albeit with more background controls than in the US. The fact is, the more guns that are readily available in a racially, ethnically, economically diverse, and essentially unjust society, the greater the odds of their being used for mendacious purposes. Odds are odds, and in a mixed population such as the US–one wherein inherent conflicts are built into our ethnic and racial backgrounds, well–bang, bang, shoot ’em up, one, two, three. Add in the fact that nearly all crazies in the US can own guns, and the problem gets magnified. For example, a person like me is far too volatile to own guns, and Lord knows how many people I might have shot if I owned one. But I’m hardly alone in being half-crazed. Some of you reading these words are the very same way! Today, what might have ended up as a fist-fight 40 years ago becomes a murder. The number of deadly tools available to ALL Americans is THE essential problem in the US, and I have yet to hear anything approaching a solution. We are not the USA of the founding fathers, an elite club that included some amazingly short-sighted sots. We are the US of today, one wherein desire, violence, and greed rule the day… We are as children playing with razor blades. Is it any wonder our streets sometimes run red? Oh, but what the hell do I know?

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Die-Ins

by Dr. George H. Elder 12/16/2014

Observing lily white middle class people striving to misapply stat’s and social science to explain racial problems is sad. This is the reason… That is the reason… They’re marginalized… They’re categorized… Yeah, right. It’s all elitist bullshit writ large. Live in an inner city community for a year, then open your mouths. Live in poverty, and then you might understand it. Live being surrounded by violence, and something might be learned. But until then, the vast majority of “us” have nothing meaningful to say. We’re fucking pitiful, lamebrains who do not know that experience should predicate opining. I’ve known poverty and violence, but not what it is like to live in an urban war-zone. I lived in Cooney Island for about three weeks when I was a kid, and that was enough for me. That place was nuts, and never once did I feel safe. Yeah, I had NO desire to live in the “hood” after that, and am quite content to dwell in Rural Vermont.

Oh, but we have die-ins right here in Vermont. Yeah, saw one on TV the other day, a group of mostly lily white Vermonters lying about of the floor of a building, pretending to be shot-down Black folks. It might have been more convincing if they died en masse out in the cold, and then stayed out there in their death-poses for an hour or so. Yeah, that would have a least earned them a few points for conviction. But as it is, I find the exercises empty, and sign of shallowness and a conspicuous lack of understanding. Yeah, Black folks have some reasons to be pissed off about they way SOME cops treat them. And to be sure, cops have some reasons to live in fear of SOME Black folks. That is the simple truth of things, though the lily white folks seldom consider why cops might live in fear.

The last thing I would want to be is a cop in an urban environment. Hell, I would be the “man,” and thus the music and talk and all the rest would be about what an evil son-of-a-bitch I was. Course, when trouble comes, 911 would demand I go hither and yon, and there I would see the mutilated bodies and blood-soaked streets. The crime tape would go up, and folks would gawk at the latest statistic. And here I would be, trying to get Juan to tell me what happened–but he didn’t see anything. Nor did anyone else. Oh, an AK was involved, but that’s our collective right–to pack the most powerful heat imaginable. Now, I’m not a dumb cop. I know that AK couldhave been pointed at me, and the fact is–it’s still out there. No one’s going to talk, and so it goes. Hose off the sidewalk. Wait for the next call. And all the while, that nasty AK and a whole lot of other big bang is waiting for me or my partner. It seems like a hell of a way to make a living.

It is easy to take sides in this, and don’t for a minute think I’m on the side of the cops. Some of them are brutal thugs, the very worst of what humanity has to offer. They get a power rush out of the badge, and use it in a way that discredits what the law is supposed to be about. However, the vast majority of cops are far from that. They have families, know love, and care about others. Truth is, most inner city folks are the same way. They love their kids, and all the rest. But a few are brutal thugs, capable of a level of violence that few lily white middle class mutton heads can understand. They kill for trivial reasons, and I would hate to be the people who have to confront them. Good Lord, a killer with an automatic weapon is someone I would not contemplate taking on. Heck, I’d call a cop… Of course, that cop might be all tied up at a demonstration, making sure some die-in folks don’t interrupt traffic flow or some such thing.

I find it all very sad. I consider myself a liberal. I like the idea of occupying Wall Street. I like the idea of running down the miscreants who have polluted our political system with money. But I cannot be part of a movement that does not see both sides of a problem. The answers usually reside in the middle, a place that many do not care to go because it is the land of compromise. Hey, urban war-zones need cops, and cops need to come up with better means of dealing with threats. Man, I’ve seen some kick-ass non-lethal devices, and I ponder why more isn’t being done to develop these means. Then again, what the hell do I know? I am a lily white Vermonter, but one who is likely to step on someone who participates a in a damn die-in in front on me. Yeah, and then the cops would come and have to haul my fat ass away. Might need to thump me a few times. Oh, the horrors! No easy answers here…

Reflections: A Dream Quest

Nova Science is presenting a multi-part preview on this fast-paced text about dreams. The release date is March 2014, and the text is currently in press. Here are some free, open-access PDF files for some relevant chapters that can be downloaded from NOVA Science at:

This is a book that addresses the history and science of dreams. The author uses his own dreams as examples, some of which are unique due to Elder’s personal and medical history. The dreams include typical experiences, such as flying, but also extend to intriguing astral events, prophecies, and messages on the nature of existence. The author employs the first-person present tense perspective when describing his dreams, which makes them exciting and fast-paced. The narrative sections follow the typical academic style, although Elder has endeavored to make the material accessible to the widest possible audience. Unlike many mass-market books on this subject, it also examines dream science and history in considerable depth, providing readers with a wealth of unique insights into what dreams are and why we have them. For example, Elder relates some forms of dream prophecy to the workings of our episodic memory system, finding a persuasive basis of support in modern schema theory and neuropsychological research. Other dreams, such as those concerning God, humanity’s future, and astral adventures occasionally defy the author’s tendency to find rationalistic explanations, a fact that he both dislikes and admits. The historical review stretches back to Gilgamesh, and runs up to modern findings in the neurosciences. Of course, the ideas of Freud, Jung, and others are discussed along the way, with the reader getting a great deal of information on what dreams were thought to mean over the ages. Indeed, there are over 380 sources scattered throughout the text, and a quick review of the bibliography will reveal that this is a manuscript of considerable research and substance. Readers from high school to post-graduate levels will find items of interest in this fast-moving text, which leaves a message that is as much spiritual and moral as it is scientific. (Imprint: Nova Biomedical)

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Humanity’s longest day begins with a deep space observation satellite detecting a large“energy bubble” encompassing Penn State’s campus in State College, PA. No one knows what caused the mysterious event, including its creator, a graduate student named Alexander Barr. He has discovered how matter, energy, and thought are interrelated, with the critical information coming from ancient texts. Alexander’s efforts are making him into a being of incomprehensible power, but he carries the flaws we all harbor within.The powers that be try to stop Alexander’s development and end up wounding him. The resultant energy release devastates the northeast, destroying major cities and killing millions of people. Alexander slowly recovers and becomes ever stronger, with an outreach that can extend to the furthest reaches of the universe. All the while, efforts are made to contain the threat he is thought to represent and thus begin judgment errors that makes the apocalypse seem like a pleasant day’s outing.There are no rights and wrongs here, just well-intentioned actions and reactions that often go horribly wrong. Will the earth survive? Indeed, will existence itself continue? The stakes are huge, and you’ll have a front row seat.

Parts of the battered Serenade are formed into the scouting ship Ral’s Rake, and Ral takes on a robotic body. He begins a tempestuous relationship with Anita, which comes to a tragic end when the crew soon discovers the badly damaged Dragoonter. She is transporting thousands of Elesian children, but it strays too close to the Serenade and is decimated by the ship’s automated defense systems. A subsequent collision cripples the Rake, destroys the Serenade and Dragoonter, and tears Ral to pieces—thus crippling the mission.

Ral’s remains are salvaged, and Anita installs his AI modules in the capsule. However, Ral betrays the crew and turns the renovated Rake over the surviving Elesians. Anita removes Ral from the capsule and installs another AI system named Marcus. Thus begins a final attempt to reach Terra. The Terrans and Alcara continue their savage battle over the capsule, but the Seekers finally intervene.The crew members are given the choice of continuing the mission of pursuing whatever life-courses each selects. Will Kara and the others decide to go on? If so, will they survive the trip to Terra? Will the missing Seeker still exist, and if so, can he be awakened? Will the old adage be careful of what you wish for be the mission’s final epitaph?The Universe shifts as the battle draws near. The Alcara have used a mass transfer device to destabilize the Universe. As galaxies and star systems shift, the Confederation revives the long dormant Fulcan fleet in a bid to destroy the powerful and titanic weapon. Thousands of ships gather to confront the Alcara and their deadly device, and one question reverberates among those ready for battle… will the fleet get though?As the battle draws closer Kara meets the “Ancient One”, the lone surviving member of the earliest sentient species. Using her extensive powers, the Ancient One helps Kara awaken dormant abilities that could help in the impending battle.The key question remains…will Kara and the crew be able to make the jump to Terra and reach the legendary Seeker in time?The universe’s expansion is nearing its inevitable end and everything is being devoured by entropy. The key to having a future is a missing energy source, a legendary metaphysical being known only through ancient tales. The last hope of a dying universe is to awaken this dormant Seeker who possesses the capacity to link the entire universe in thought and deed. He alone may be able to rekindle the sparks of a new universal cycle.The remaining advanced species desperately want existence to continue, and send for missions to search for the Seeker. One such mission unexpectedly and inexplicably materializes on a primitive world that is inhabited by the Labateen, a Stone-Age warrior culture. Here they encounter Kara, an outcast Labateen noble woman and fierce warrior. Kara knows details about the Seeker’s litany that go well beyond coincidence, although to Kara they are simply the ways of God.Is Kara the key to locating the long lost Seeker? And what of the races who believe that existence should end in an entropic whimper and who will not sit by while others attempt to alter the end of the universe. Lofty ideals give way to brutal pragmatism as a confederation of races struggles to survive and save existence. For a view of the first few chapters, please click here.